Family Traditions
by rockhotch31
Summary: This is another story in my "Family" series. While this story contains some OC's characters, it can be read as a standalone. And this one will involve ALL of the team in one way or another.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello from the State where it is Thanksgiving Day. You just knew I had to do some home cookin' with all of the team and their loved ones. :D**

**The OC's of this FF are all mine. For new readers, I hope you can put the pieces together. To my wonderful, loyal readers, I just hope you enjoy this.**

**As to the CM characters, all rights belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS, and ABC Studios.**

**And, like always, this is a completely written FF. You will get my usual chapter a day. *glares at the FF gremlins***

***Knightly bow***

Chapter 1

Mateo Cruz looked at JJ as they took a walk to cool down from their usual Saturday morning run together. "Can I ask you about something?"

"Sure," JJ smiled. He had been quietly grilling her every Saturday, trying to understand the players and dynamics more of the group he was now in command of. She and Will had talked about it and agreed that he was genuinely trying to fit in.

"Actually, it was something I overhead." He blushed just for a second. "In the men's room; Morgan was in one of the stalls down from me while Reid was using the urinal."

JJ laughed. "Ask away," she smiled.

"They were both talking about the Thanksgiving tradition; saying they hoped it happened again. What are they talking about with Thanksgiving being Thursday?"

JJ beamed. "Two of the last four Thanksgivings, the team has been out just before Thanksgiving; yet, we were able to get back in time to have Thanksgiving dinner. Cait, Hotch's wife, cooked for all of us. Last year was really special. All of our families had come to town and she surprised us with them being there and dinner waiting when we landed."

Cruz smiled. "Let me see if I can do something about that," he winked.

-00CM00-

The team was sitting in the Round Table room for their usual morning briefing on Monday that was starting to finish up when Section Chief Cruz walked into the room. He smiled at them. "Relax; all of you; it's not a case." He looked around the table. "I've heard through the grapevine that you all can get bit in the butt around Thanksgiving." He smiled again. "That isn't happening this year. You're on stand down this week. Enjoy the holiday."

The team all looked at Hotch like puppies begging for a treat. Cruz looked at Aaron. "Hotch," he smiled, "I think some people are looking for some tradition."

"Mat, I have to swing it by my wife but I don't think she'll mind. You and your family will be invited as well," he smiled.

Cruz shook his head. "My family is in Brooklyn Aaron," he smiled. "Melinda, me and the kids go there for Thanksgiving. Christmas is at her family in Roanoke. But thank you for the invitation," he smiled. He started to turn to leave the room and then turned back. "But I've heard some other rumors about the get-togethers at your place Hotch," he smiled. "We'll expect an invite to one of them."

Hotch smiled. "Bring an empty stomach needing food and a designated driver." Cruz pointed at him with a large smile and left the room.

Hotch pulled out his cell and shot off a text. _Guess who's coming to dinner Thanksgiving? :D_

They finished the briefing and Hotch's cell buzzed. He pulled it out, looked at the caller ID with a smile and pulled up the text. _Bring it lover. :D_

Rossi leaned back in his chair. "I think I'm buying a big-ass turkey for Cait to cook," he smiled.

Hotch looked around the table. "Cait needs a head count by tonight. Reid, that's you." He nodded his head. "Garcia, you funnel that info to Cait, no later than tomorrow night." The two of them nodded their acceptance. He looked at Blake. "You and James in or out?"

"We've always spent quiet Thanksgivings when we've been able to get together. But since we're so close now, I really don't know what to say Hotch. We really don't have any family around."

"Find out soon and get back to Reid." She nodded her head with a smile.

"Just know this: Jake, Cait's brother is currently the starting quarterback for the Packers with Rodgers on the DL. They play the Lions at 12:30. We won't eat until that game is over. But you're all welcome to come and watch the game with us," he smiled as he got up and headed for his office.

Morgan looked around. "I'm all in on that," he smiled. "I'll supply the beer," he said.

Reid looked at him. "What about your mom and sisters?"

Morgan smiled. "Mama is flying in Wednesday afternoon, but it's just her. Sarah has to work at the hospital and Des has a BF; she's going to his family for turkey. But I've got a stack of cases on my desk I need to get back to," he said as he left as well.

Reid moaned. Blake looked at him. "We're doing paperwork and case analyses for consults this week."

Emily rose up from her chair and summed up the rest of the team's feeling on Dr. Reid's analysis. "Shit." She headed to the catwalk.

JJ smiled at Reid. "Well you know Emily is in and they're will be four of us; mom is coming for the holiday."

Dave looked around at those left in the room and then Reid. "Seems to me you've just got to get the other good Doctor in the room moving and talked to Gina and Anderson," he smiled as he rose and went to his office.

Alex looked at the rest. "I need to talk to James ASAP?"

Garcia rubbed her shoulder. "The sooner the better talented doctor of talk; Cait Hotchner can handle curve balls; but she is the master planner," she smiled.

Reid nodded with a smile. He and JJ shared a fist bump and exited as well.

Blake looked at Garcia. "Alex, the more Cait knows ahead of time, the less pressure on her; not that she can't handle the pressure. We just want to make it easier for her," she smiled.

"I know she's good Penelope," Alex smiled. "James and I have to been to their home, remnember?" Garcia smiled at the recent memory. "But she's really OK with that many people?"

Garcia put her fist out. "Word sister," she smiled. Blake gave her the fist bump back.

"I think I'm all over my hubby's butt on this one," she smiled. "Cait cooks better than me."

###

**A/N: Playing with the facts here. Aaron Rodgers, the starting quarterback for the Packers is hurt right now and not playing. But y'all know Jake Barkley is a fictional character. Damn, I wish he was real. You'll find out why a couple of chapters from now.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was lunch time for the four agents in the Bullpen and they were eating theirs at their desks, sharing the time with each other. JJ pointed at Alex as she smiled into her desk phone. "I think the Blake's are in," she smiled. Alex gave her a thumb up. Reid added them to the list.

"We now have 15 confirmed from the BAU. My job is done," he smiled. He ripped his hand-written list off the yellow legal pad. "I've just got to get this to Garcia," he proudly said.

"Or you could just send her an email Dr. No Tech like the rest of the human world," Emily snarked.

Alex, hanging up her phone, looked at Reid. "Spencer, what is your hang up with that?"

"It's not a hang up Alex. I just find it cold and impersonal. It goes back to the ancient ages where communication between kingdoms and tribes were sent by runners. More wars started over wrongly relayed messages…"

Emily cut him off. "He's horrible on keyboard typing," she smiled.

"Who the hell arranges a keyboard to type text in that manner," he defended. They all laughed. Gina LaSalle and Brian Anderson slipped over to stand by the profilers' desks. They both had already got an email from Hotch inviting them as well to Thanksgiving dinner along with Reid stopping by their desks.

"Is it just me, but I don't want to walk in there again empty handed," Gina asked. "But I can't cook to Cait's standards." Brian held up the half of white bread with bologna and slice of cheese sandwich he was eating as a testament to his cooking skills.

"I know I wouldn't try either," Prentiss lamented.

"Well my mom will do her thing with a Jell-O and dessert; but I'm a dry well too," JJ added.

"Guess where that leaves me," Reid said.

The profilers all looked at Alex deep in thought. "Cruz used the word tradition," she said, pointing like she was lecturing. "Maybe we can work off that." Reid nodded at her.

Emily snapped her fingers. "I've got just the idea. And we all can chip in on it." She smiled wickedly. "But it would involve a girls' night out shopping expedition."

"Will shoots league pool on Tuesday nights. Monday is my night to play," she smiled.

"James isn't going to be home until Wednesday night," Alex smiled.

Gina smiled. "Can I be in on that?" Emily pointed at her.

JJ turned to her keyboard, firing up her email. _Garcia, it's a girls' night shopping_.

-00CM00-

Hotch and Dave were already sitting next to each other at the Round Table, discussing a case Tuesday morning when Morgan walked in. "Hotch, we may have a problem." Hotch looked at him. "I just checked in on my Baby Girl this morning and she is anything but fine."

Hotch shook his head. "Not the flu already; Agent LaSalle called in sick this morning."

Morgan shook his head with a smile. "This type of flu comes in an 80 proof bottle."

Hotch looked at him and then noticed Emily and JJ trudging in. They both had large coffees and generally looked like hell. They plopped into chairs at the other end of the table. Blake came in a few seconds later with a mega cup of coffee, even by her standards. She groaned as she sat down next to Dave.

"Et tu Brute?" Rossi said.

"Shut up Rossi," she growled. Dave looked at Hotch and then back at Blake.

"And how'd the lecture go this morning at Georgetown?"

She looked at him. "That is why God invented teacher assistants."

Reid came in last, taking a large swallow of his coffee. He sat down next to Derek and yawned. "Pretty boy," Morgan asked.

"Anderson and I were the designated drivers."

Hotch shook his head. "Thank you for that. Let's get started."

-00CM00-

Aaron walked into the home he shared with Cait and the boys smiling. He could hear Cait talking with her parents that she had picked up at the airport on her way home from work that afternoon. He had barely got the door shut when Beans flew at him, with her tail wagging. "Hi you," he smiled. Beans barked and Aaron reached down to give her his daily dose of _love when dad's home_. Beans nearly moaned when Aaron rubbed her behind her ear. Aaron shook his head with a smile. _I lucked out even with the dog_.

Beans raced him into the kitchen to announce his presence. Cait was already smiling, waiting on him. Aaron tugged at his tie and loosed his collar, after unbuttoning his knee-length winter coat and opening the scarf she had gave him when they were dating. Northern Virginia was having an uncharacteristic cold snap for Thanksgiving. He pulled her into a hug, giving her a kiss. Jarrod and Maggie smiled at each other. The scene of only their daughter finally being so happy didn't grow old with them. Jarrod rubbed Maggie's shoulder with a smile.

When they finished their hug, Aaron pointed a finger at her. "You, my love, got most of my team in trouble last night," he wickedly smiled.

"Aaron?" is all Cait could get out.

He laughed. "The girls, apparently trying to find something together to contribute to dinner Thursday had a shopping night that involved more than enough to drink. Reid and Anderson were the designated drivers. Gina called in sick and the rest of the ladies looked like hell. Reid and Anderson were just robots with the lack of sleep."

Cait laughed. "Hey Big Dog, that's on your team members, not me. What did Matt tell Morgan after Sandy Hook and those three weeks of hell? 'I didn't put the gun to your head'," she smiled.

Aaron kissed her again. "I agree; I just had to give you some shit," he smiled, and then laughed at bit. Maggie and Jarrod laughed along with Cait.

Aaron moved to his in-laws, taking off his coat. The hugs and loved shared was sincere. Aaron went towards the den he and Cait shared, put his briefcase down and then went into the foyer to hang up his coat. When he finished, he whistled up the steps and he waited.

It literally took two seconds for the growing feet of Jack Hotchner to come flying down the steps. He and his grandparents had worked on his homework together when they all had got home. Yet as a growing eight year old, he could comfortably keep himself busy in his own room. Cait had explained to Aaron that was the first sign of becoming independent. _Shit; growing up_ Aaron thought to himself as he waited for his youngest son.

Jack flew into his arms, jumping from the second to the bottom step. Aaron used that force to swing him up into a hug. _Another six months and this will throw my back out_ Aaron thought. "Hey buddy, how was school?"

Aaron knew it was it loaded question. Jack went into Zazu mode, recounting his school day. Yet he knew how to manage his time. He carried Jack to the bedroom and threw him on the bed, to Jack's laughter. As Aaron changed from SAC Hotchner into dad, Jack sat on the bed and told his dad everything he had already told mom. It had become part of Aaron's just home from work routine. Cait winked at her parents.

"Damn," Jarrod said. "He's just growing up too fast. I miss my little boy."

Cait softly smiled. "You and me both dad; I really missed that with the boys. And then I get another chance. And poof, it's gone again," she sadly shook her head. Maggie looked at her. "I know mom; welcome to being a mother." Maggie smiled with a nod. "It's still not fair," Cait groaned.

"You had three boys to deal with that," Maggie smiled. "I had four; and I still miss it; Tommy snuggling with me as I reviewed cases." Tom was their oldest son, the next after Cait that Maggie had not called by that name in years. Cait just shook her head at her mother, sharing the feeling.

Jack roared out of the master bedroom in front of his dad, now dressed in a long sleeve polo shirt, jeans and the same kind of wool socks that Jack had on. The rubber grips on the bottom worked well on Cait's hardwood floors. Yet, in the carpeted great room of the home, with a large fire resistant rug in front of the fireplace to catch any sparks that might come out, Aaron added logs to the fire that Jarrod had already built.

Jack powered in the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Cait's waist. "Mom, I'm getting hungry."

Cait kissed his head and rubbed the back of his golden hair he had inherited from Haley, while drawing him into a hug. "Jack, were just waiting on Mike. You know he has AP course assignments to review with his advisor on Tuesdays." Thankfully, in Cait and Hotch's world, Mike did not play a winter sport. For the last two years, it was football and baseball. But his intelligent mind still kept him busy.

"Hey buddy," Aaron said, walking into the kitchen. "Can you run out to the beer fridge and get two for mom and me?"

Jack smiled. "You got it dad."

"Hey Jackster, draw three," Jarrod said, pushing his first bottle of beer across the lunch counter. Aaron grabbed the empty, depositing it into the recycle bin that was next to the garbage bin, carefully hidden in a cupboard of Cait's cooking island.

"Got it Grandpa," he shouted, heading out the door. Beans followed him to the doorway and barked loudly. Maggie was still working on her glass of Chardonnay.

Jack came back in the door. "I know girl," he smiled. "You're next." Beans barked her approval. Jack handed the three beers to his dad with a smile and headed to the laundry room to feed his four footed best friend. When he finished, he went to the lunch counter and climbed into Maggie's lap. She smiled, kissing his head.

"I'm glad you're here again Grandma; I miss you guys." Aaron and Cait shared as smile as they took a drink of their beers.

Cait looked at Aaron, lightly slapping his arm. "So what the heck is going on with the girls that you blamed me for?"

Aaron smiled. "Rumor has it all of them that don't cook want to be able to contribute something." He bowed his head and slightly laughed. "They took that as an excuse for girls' night out." He shook his head. "They were a pile," he smiled.

Cait looked at him with wide eyes. "Even Alex?"

Aaron laughed. "She got her indoctrination into the BAU girls club last night," he laughed more, and then looked at his wife, pointing a finger at her. "Don't even think about it Cait. I know how you can power shop," he smiled, kissing her. "And then drink them all under the table." Jarrod roared. They all heard the entry door from the garage open.

Cait looked at Maggie with her bright smile, snapping her fingers. "Damn." She looked at Jack.

"Yeah mom; I know; I got it; I don't repeat Uncle Dave's language."

"What the hell is wrong with my language," Dave asked, pulling his coat off, setting his uncapped beer on one Cait's kitchen counters.

Cait just shook her head with an eye roll at her husband.

Aaron winked at Jack and the three at lunch counter shared a large laugh.

###

**A/N: To all of my US followers, I hope you had a special day with your families and had a wonderful Thanksgiving.**

**To all the rest of you readers, I just want to give thanks for your support.**

**It's greatly appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all for the alerts and reviews. They are truly appreciated.**

**And I'm making up for the first two chapters being so "short" by my standards. ;)**

Chapter 3

Maggie was in the kitchen chopping celery, onions and mushrooms for Cait for the dressing she would make tomorrow morning. Jarrod and Beans were out for a walk around the neighborhood, both needing to get out and do something. While it was still chilly temperature wise, the day was filled with bright sunshine. The doorbell rang; Maggie rinsed her hands off, dried them and headed to the front door.

She looked out first through the window next to the large front door to see a FedEx truck in the driveway. She knew that security of the Hotchner home was a priority. She looked through the peephole to see the uniformed driver standing on the porch. Maggie silently slid the safety chain of the door in place, unlatched the deadbolt lock and then opened the door to the chain's length. "Can I help you?" she smiled.

"Good afternoon ma'am. I have a package for Caitlyn Hotchner." Maggie looked around and did not see a package. The delivery driver picked up on that. "It's rather large ma'am. I thought we could get the signing process out of the way first and then I'd bring it up." Maggie noted that his ID was clipped to the front chest pocket of his FedEx issued winter coat. The picture matched the person standing in front of her.

"Who's it from?"

The driver looked at his handheld computer. "Sami's Decorations in Georgetown ma'am; however, there is an extra note on my bill of lading that the individual shipper is Emily Prentiss."

Maggie quickly put two and two together of the girls' night shopping spree and smiled at the delivery man. "One second Jonas," she smiled, noting the name on his ID. She shut the door, took the security chain off and opened the door. "Come in Jonas," she said. "You don't have to stand out there in the cold," she said.

He walked in, smiling his appreciation and Maggie shut the door. He handed his handheld to her, pointing. "If you could just sign there please." Maggie took the stylus that worked with the computer and signed her name. Jonas took the handheld and looked at her name. "Could you verify the last name for me please ma'am.

Maggie spelled it out. "I'm Cait's mother," she smiled.

Jonas broadly smiled back. "Thank you Mrs. Barkley; I'll be right back with the package." He let himself out the door as Jarrod and Beans came up the driveway. Jonas went to the back of the truck and started to pull out the package.

"Need a hand son," Jarrod asked, seeing the size of the box.

"No thank you sir; I've got it," he said, putting the long box in one arm and shutting the door. "I've had worse ones," he smiled. He let Jarrod go ahead of him so he could open the door.

Jarrod walked in and handed Beans' leash to Maggie. "You take her; I'll take the package." Maggie unclipped Beans from the leash as Jarrod took the package from the young man once he got it in the door. "Happy Thanksgiving," Jarrod smiled.

"Same to you and your family sir," Jonas smiled. "I'll shut the door."

Jarrod took it to the table in the nook and set it down. He looked at Maggie with a question. "It's from Emily. I trusted it; the girls' night out shopping?" Jarrod smiled.

-00CM00-

Three of the four agents in the Bullpen smiled to see Hotch leaving early on Wednesday. Chief Cruz, along with Dave descended the steps from Rossi's office. Alex looked around. JJ smiled. "He's going to Union Station to pick up Sean, Leslie and Wyatt." Alex smiled.

"Some clarity for the new kid on the block please," Cruz said.

Dave smiled. "Mat, they're Aaron's brother, sister-in-law and nephew. They live in NYC; Sean and Leslie own a restaurant. Wyatt was born earlier this year. That's the only family Aaron has on his side."

"How old is Wyatt now?" Emily asked, finishing a phone call.

JJ pointed at Reid. "Nine months; five days."

Cruz shook his head, looking at Rossi, who smiled. "That's our boy."

"How many is Cait having for dinner tomorrow," Cruz inquired.

"Twenty-five sir," Reid smiled. "That's including Wyatt; however, I don't think he will sit at the table with us; at least not exactly. They'll probably have a high chair for him." Alex just looked at Rossi, with a small head shake.

Cruz smiled. "Well, I need to head out as well. We're all taking the same Acela the other way later tonight," he beamed. He looked at the group. "Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all of you."

"You too Mat," Dave smiled, shaking his hand. Cruz said his good-byes and headed out the glass doors.

Dave looked at them. "The two boss men are out the door; so am I."

Just then Emily's email pinged on her computer. She pulled it up and smiled at the group. "Delivery confirmation from FedEx; I'm out the door as well."

Fifteen minutes later, there was not a profiler to be found in the building.

-00CM00-

Cait waited in her vehicle as usual, looking through her rearview mirror as the kids started to tumble out of the school building. The teachers and support staff got the kids all gently herded onto their appointed yellow school busses. Cait looked at a few texts on her cell and then noticed the busses pulling out. She wrapped her scarf a little tighter around her neck, got out and headed to the sidewalk of the school. Jack bounded out less than a minute later, engulfing her in his usual power hug.

He looked at her. "Have you heard from dad? Is he there?"

Cait smiled. "He just texted me; he's at Union Station."

"Yes, yes, yes," Jack skipped as he held her gloved hand going to the car.

Derek Morgan stood in the baggage claim area of Reagan National, scanning the people coming down the escalator to the area. He beamed as he finally spotted the one person he was looking for. The security Plexiglas doors opened and he pulled Fran into his usual huge hug.

"I've missed ya momma," he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"I've missed you too," Fran smiled.

Aaron stood in Union Station, waiting like Derek for his family to finally appear through the security gates. The up escalator finally revealed them. He smiled and then shook his head. Sean was pulling a large luggage bag, with Wyatt's car seat in his other hand. Leslie pulled another bag with one hand and Wyatt in her other arm. They both looked frazzled. Aaron walked to them as they exited the security doors. "What do you want me to take?"

Leslie held out her arm with Wyatt in it. "Him," is all she said.

Wyatt babbled at seeing his uncle with a large smile and held out his arms. The two families had stayed connected through the miles. Sean and Leslie had been down in early August for a week of vacation, enjoying the family and their home, including the pool. Wyatt first crawled in their home, trying to chase after Beans. Cait, with the beautiful weather, spent many hours in the pool with him. _Next summer kiddo, I make you into a fish_ she smiled. Aaron, Cait, Mike and Jack went up for a long weekend in October when the boys' school had teacher's convention instead of Dave's cabin. Uncle Dave fully supported the decision. "It's family," he warmly smiled.

Yet, as Wyatt's eyes matured, the whole Hotchner family had stayed in touch via Skype for the times they couldn't be together. Wyatt grew to understand the images on the screen. Matt did his part from college, hooking up with them regularly. Wyatt would babble and coo through the conversations, especially with Jack.

Aaron warmly took his nephew, kissing his cheek. "Hey you," he smiled, tossing him into the air and then catching him. Wyatt giggled with delight. Aaron pulled him securely to his shoulder and looked at his parents. "Rough trip?" he asked, pulling Sean into a hug.

"He slept like a lamb the first two and half hours like we planned. The last half hour was rough. He's a man on a mission and he likes to move. He wasn't the happiest of campers," Sean sighed.

Aaron shook his head, remembering trips to Haley's parents when Jack was the same age and smiled. "Little brother, I told you; welcome to parenthood." Sean just shook his head as Aaron gave Leslie a big huge, kissing her cheek. Aaron pulled up the hood to Wyatt's jacket and secured it as they headed towards the door.

The three of them went out the door. Wyatt burrowed his head into his uncle's scarf from the cold. They got to Aaron's SUV. Sean put the car set in the back as Aaron, handing Wyatt to Leslie, got the luggage in the back. Aaron took his nephew back and got him into his seat as Leslie got in the backseat and Sean in the front next to Aaron. By the time they got to the booth for Aaron to pay for the parking, Wyatt conked out again. Leslie just rolled her eyes. Sean looked at Aaron. Taking the receipt from the booth clerk and pulling out of the parking lot, Aaron looked at his younger brother and laughed. "You're just getting started bro," he said, rubbing Sean's shoulder. "Deal with two sons dating; one in college." Sean just moaned and Aaron laughed louder. "Do me a favor bro." Sean looked at him. "Please text Cait and tell her we're on our way home."

Sean smiled and pulled out his cell.

Cait, driving towards Deer Valley Road, heard her cell ring in her coat pocket. She took it out and underhanded, gave it to Jack in the backseat, keeping her eye on the road. Jack pushed the button and looked at the text, with a huge smile developing. "It's Uncle Sean; they're on their way home." Cait walked Jack through the process of forwarding the message to her folks. Jack didn't need much help, watching his brothers using theirs.

"Done," he smiled. "Mom, when do I get my own cell?"

"Talk to dad and me when you're twelve."

"Mom that's four years; and Billy already has one," Jack reasoned.

"Very impressive Mr. Hotchner on the math," Cait smiled in the rearview mirror. Jack beamed. "And dad and I are not Billy's parents." That got the Jack scowl as Cait turned into the driveway. As she got to the bottom of the small hill of the driveway, she noticed Matt lightly jogging up the back path from Dave's. When he was home and the weather wasn't the best, he would put his car in one of the extra stalls that Dave had at his house.

Cait smiled. _He has full buy-in on that because he's got an excuse to drive mine or Aaron's_. They both had laughed in bed that night about it when Dave made the offer last year over Christmas break.

She hit the button to get the garage door open and pulled in, noticing Mike's car already in his portion of the garage. She and Jack got out, with Jack handing Cait her cell phone. Matt sprinted in, nearly tackling Jack as Cait put the door down. The brothers wrestled around as Cait went in the door; Matt followed with Jack lying prone on his shoulder, laughing. Maggie, standing in the kitchen, smiled at the sound. Matt put Jack on his feet and gave his mother a huge hug, lifting her off her feet. "Matthew," she scolded with a smile.

Matt, after pulling off his jacket and putting it on one the hooks, gave her a kiss and helped his mother out of her winter coat while slipping out of his tennis shoes and Cait grabbing her cell. He took it and her scarf to the foyer closet and hung it up. Jack took his jacket off, pulled his stocking cap off, shoved into one of the sleeves of the jacket and hung it on the hook by the door, taking his tennis shoes off. Mike, playing a game of cribbage with grandpa at the lunch counter, went to Cait, gave her a kiss and took her purse and briefcase to her and dad's study.

Beans bounded into the entryway to welcome them home. She got her first dose of love from mom, her sturdy tail banging against the wall as it wagged back and forth. Jack roared and got a Bean's lick across the face. The buddies got their time together as Cait moved into the kitchen.

She looked at Maggie. "What's for dinner?" she smiled, as she gave her mother a hug.

Maggie smiled back. "We're cooking tomorrow; I took your advice and raided your freezer. There's chicken tetrazzini, chili and your hotdish. They all can deal with it."

"Works for me," Cait smiled. She moved to the lunch counter and looked at the cribbage board. Someone was losing; badly. She looked at her dad.

"Your middle son is scorching my butt at the moment; he cheats."

Mike, sliding back into his chair, looked at him. "I do not Grandpa," he smiled. "I've just inherited mom's rabbit foot in my back pocket." Jarrod rolled his eyes and accepted Cait's kiss to his cheek with a warm smile. She rubbed his shoulder as Jack blew into the kitchen for some grandma love.

As she started towards her and Aaron's bedroom to use the bathroom, Cait noticed the large, oblong box on the nook table. "Dad, what's up with this?"

He turned in his chair. "You got a delivery a bit ago." Cait looked at him with concern.

Jarrod smiled. "It's from Emily; no doubt the fruits of the girls' night out shopping spree."

Cait laughed. "Don't forget the hangovers," she smiled, moving to bedroom.

By the time she returned, Beans in the kitchen with Maggie, barked her announcement of the garage door going up again, wagging her tail. Maggie rubbed her head. "You know the sounds of dad's car, don't you girl?" Beans barked her answer and headed for the door.

Matt, watching the card game, gave Mike's ribs a gentle hit and nodded towards the door. The brothers went to help with the luggage. Jack, sitting in Jarrod's lap, beamed at him. "Wyatt's here Grandpa." Jarrod smiled as well, letting Jack slide out of his lap.

The two older boys buzzed by their dad, saying their hellos, went to the back of his vehicle and pulled out the luggage. Aaron gently got a sleeping Wyatt out of his car seat. He stirred in Aaron's arm as he put his nephew to his shoulder.

Leslie and Sean walked in the house to Cait's waiting arms. They shared hugs, with the boys scooting past them to get their luggage upstairs. Jarrod and Jack came next, with Jarrod greeting them and taking their coats and Jack giving his usual power hugs. Sean lifted his youngest nephew off his feet. "Jack, you're getting to be a load," he smiled as Jack threw his arms around his neck.

Aaron walked in, gave Cait a kiss and handed the stirring little boy in his arms to her with a smile. Cait took Wyatt into the kitchen as the rest entered. Maggie looked at Wyatt. "Oh good lord," she smiled, "he's growing like a weed."

Cait held him for a few seconds and then gently rubbed his stomach. Wyatt's blue eyes, matching his mother's flew open and looked at her. He rubbed them a bit and then looked again as Cait pulled his hood off of his head from the winter jacket she and Aaron had bought for him.

He smiled and started babbling. Sean looked at Aaron and rolled his eyes. "Get ready big brother."

Cait sat him on the kitchen island and got him out of his coat. Beans walked in and happily barked at Wyatt. He smiled widely and immediately got antsy. Cait put him down on the floor. "Go," she smiled. Beans softly barked again and took off for the great room. Wyatt quickly crawled after her.

"Thanks sis," Sean said, pulling her into a hug. Cait looked at the frazzled parents and smiled.

"Been there, done that."

Leslie shook her head, sharing a hug with Maggie. "Good; he's yours the rest of the night."

The family all caught up as Wyatt chased Beans around the great room with Beans gently barking at him to keep him moving. The three Hotchner boys joined into the fray, laughing at Wyatt and their beloved dog.

Aaron moving to their bedroom, stopped at the package on the nook table. Cait shook her head. "I forgot all about that." Aaron looked at her. "It's from the team; the girls' night out shopping spree?"

Aaron kissed her, pulling his tie loose as he unbuttoned his collar shirt. Cait smiled. "Mom and dad figured it out before me."

Mike, laughing at Wyatt being chased around, looked at his parents. "Why don't you open it?"

"What's this about a girls' hangover," Matt asked with a smile.

Mike filled him in on the story as Jarrod approached and pulled his pocket knife out. He cut the brown packing tape on the top of the box and opened it. He smiled and pointed at Cait.

On top was a greeting card with her name on it. Cait pulled it out and looked at it. It was a Hallmark card. Jarrod with his knife still out, took it from her, opened the top and handed it back to her. Cait pulled the card out and read the front. _For a Special Person this Thanksgiving Season_ headed the card. A beautiful picture of a Thanksgiving table graced the front as well. Cait opened the card. _Dear Cait_, she read on the left side. _Here's a little something for our Thanksgiving tradition_. She looked to the right side as Aaron looked over her shoulder. He rubbed her back with a smile. _Henry, Will, JJ, Emily, Spencer, Alex, James, Penelope, Kevin, Gina and Brian_ she saw in each of their own handwriting, except for James'. Jack started to pull out the inflated protective packages, setting them on the table.

"Grandpa," Jack said. "Start popping them with you knife."

Cait gently shook her head. "Jack, I think I'll need them again to keep this safe." While the boys all helped her get them cleared, Wyatt crawled up to Aaron and pulled himself up on his feet, grabbing Aaron's suit pant legs to do it. Aaron pulled him into his arms as Cait looked in the box.

Her eyes filled with tears as Aaron looked in as well. He pulled Cait into his other arm and hugged her with Wyatt smiling.

-00CM00-

They all enjoyed the leftovers dinner, with Wyatt banging on the table top of his highchair for more of the chicken and noodles from the tetrazzini. Leslie looked at her. "I'm a new school mother Leslie. That kind of food is the same thing in those jars of baby food," she said, putting more small pieces of chicken and cut up noodles on his tray. Wyatt shoveled them in a fast as she could put them on his tray.

They went to the Thanksgiving Eve service at the Hotchner's church that Wednesday night as a family. Wyatt, after walking from leg to leg of the Hotchner family, hanging on for dear life as he started to test out his walking legs for the first part of the service, snuggled into Cait's arms, sitting on her lap as Pastor Jon started his sermon. He went to sandman land less than a minute later, with Aaron rubbing his head, as Cait rubbed his back.

By ten-thirty, the house on Deer Valley Road went dark. They all had a big day ahead of them.

###

**A/N: Yes I know I'm a sentimental sap, and Hallmark cares to send the very best. You don't think Cait noticed? :D**

**Thanks again for all the luvs folks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: My, my I have some very inpatient readers. :D Thanks for all the love!**

Chapter 4

Maggie woke up a little before eight the next morning and rolled out of bed. Jarrod was still snoring on the other side of the pullout bed in Cait and Aaron's office. She put on her bathrobe and slippers, went into the kitchen to get the oven warming for the traditional Thanksgiving morning cinnamon rolls and used the bathroom.

While she waited for the oven to ping it was ready to do its work, she heard the Hotchner's, Part 2 in the boys game room. Sean and Leslie once again slept on the comfy futon. Cait, rummaging through garage sales in the fall, had found the perfect play pen for Wyatt to sleep in. Maggie smiled. The high chair Wyatt has used last night was Jack's. Cait and Aaron found it in the basement of Haley's home while they were cleaning it out. She was sure that Haley would love having another little Hotchner boy using it. She thought for a second of seeing a great-grandchild in that high chair as well and smiled. _Haley would love that as well_.

The oven pinged it was at the temperature desired, and Maggie put the two pans of cinnamon rolls in. She hit the coffee pot to start is deliciousness and went back to catch a quick nap before the gang rolled out.

Cait, lying in her husband's right arm, her head on his chest, smelt the aroma of coffee brewing through their closed door. She leaned up and looked at Aaron's alarm clock on his side the bed. Her husband stirred at the motion and yawned. "Is it that time?"

"For me; yup it is," she said getting out of bed, grabbing her glasses off her nightstand. She picked up her underwear littered on the floor and went to the bathroom, using the toilet, brushing her teeth and putting her contacts in. Aaron got out of their bed naked and pulled his glasses on as well. Cait came out in her underwear grabbed a long-sleeve t-shirt from another drawer along with a pair of cotton lounge pants. She quickly pulled them on, adding some wool socks.

Aaron pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for last night," he smiled, sharing a deep kiss with her.

When the kiss finished, Cait looked at him. "Thank you for the pleasure Aaron," she smiled. "I expect a repeat performance tomorrow night," she smiled, rubbing his back. "But we've got to get our asses rolling."

"Understood," he smiled, grabbing his boxers from the floor and pulling a clean pair out of the dresser. He headed for their shower.

Leslie came down the steps with Wyatt as Cait walked into the kitchen. "Leslie, put him in the highchair and enjoy your shower. Aaron and I have him."

"I won't argue with that Cait. You sure," she asked as she put him in the highchair and pulled it towards the kitchen.

Cait reached into a cupboard and pulled out a box of Cheerio's, with a smile. "I've got this." Leslie kissed her son's head and went back upstairs.

Cait spread out a bunch of the small, all grain cereal O's on Wyatt's highchair table. He looked at her with a smile and started shoveling them into his mouth. Cait smiled. _He's as ambidextrous as his uncle_. Jack can downstairs and kept Wyatt entertained and supplied with Cheerio's until someone could give him his breakfast.

Aaron came in from his shower ten minutes later and got Jack his own bowl of Cheerio's, complete with some sliced banana. Cait mixed and warmed up some baby cereal for Wyatt. She pulled Wyatt's highchair to the nook table. She added a baby food jar of bananas she had stocked in for their young visitor. Aaron popped it open. As Jack ate his cereal, Aaron fed Wyatt.

Jack looked at his dad. "You know how to do this?"

"Buddy, it's been a while since I did this," he smiled at Jack, spooning in more banana baby food into Wyatt's mouth. "But yes, I do."

"Did you used to do that for me dad?"

"Sure did buddy," Aaron smiled. "And you ate like Wyatt," he smiled, giving him another spoonful. Maggie reappeared, smiling at the scene. Jarrod, after saying his good mornings went to the master bedroom shower.

Sean walked in a few minutes later and looked at Aaron. "You remember how to do that bro?"

Aaron smiled. "Just like riding a bike," he said, giving Wyatt a spoonful of cereal. When Aaron finished feeding him, Cait got him cleaned up as Aaron spread a quilt on the floor of the Great Room. Sean laid him down on it and gave Wyatt his bottle to drink on his own that he had warmed up. Jack, done with his cereal and waiting on the cinnamon rolls, sat down, with Cait helping him and pulled Wyatt against his chest so he could drink his bottle in a relaxed position, rather than on his back. Jarrod walked by to finish dressing in the den and smile at the scene.

"Next," Jarrod smiled at Sean.

"That's me," he smiled.

Aaron smiled. "Go for it; you remember where towels and wash clothes are?"

"I'm all good bro." Sean went up the steps to get his things.

Leslie came down the steps from her shower, smiled at the boys in the living room and walked into the kitchen and looked at Cait. "What do you need me to do?" Sean came back down and went into Aaron and Cait's bedroom.

The timer went off on the rolls in the oven. Cait smiled. "Pull them out and let's all sit down and eat." Leslie grabbed a pair of hot pads from the drawer next to oven, and pulled them out. Maggie got plates out for everyone and started pouring coffee as Leslie cut the rolls, once again sending their divine goodness of smell through the home. Cait went into the living room and took Wyatt from Jack's arms, holding him in one arm, with him still drinking his bottle and got Jack to the lunch counter with grandpa.

Jarrod sat down with a roll and his cup of coffee. Jack crawled up next to him and Leslie gave him a cinnamon roll, a glass of apple juice and Aaron added a glass of milk for him after pouring one for himself and Cait. He took the glasses to the nook table and Maggie followed him with a cup of coffee for her and a roll.

Wyatt eyed the golden deliciousness. Cait kissed his head. "Sorry buddy; that little tummy of yours isn't ready for cinnamon yet." She leaned him back in her elbow to finish his bottle as she took a drink of her coffee and a bite of her roll.

Leslie smiled at her. "You've multi-tasked before."

Cait nodded. "Times two," she smiled.

Aaron looked at her. "I can take him," he smiled.

"I'm good Aaron; it's sorta nice holding a little one," she smiled. He rubbed her shoulder.

"A little one Cait?" Leslie said. "I'm worried that he's getting too big."

Cait and Maggie shook their heads together and almost said in unison. "Just wait until he starts walking."

"Really," Leslie asked.

Cait shook her head. "Mike was forty pounds on his first birthday. He started walking and he was a bean pole in two months."

Maggie smiled. "All four of our boys were the same way." Sean joined the group as they heard the footfalls of oversized feet coming down the steps. Maggie got out of her chair, with Sean helping her to get them all feed.

By ten that morning, the whole group was showered and Team Hotchner was rolling with Wyatt peacefully taking his morning nap upstairs.

Aaron brought in the box of the team present into the dining room. Cait and Maggie had just spread out the cloth that would cover the table. Matt helped his dad get it out of the box. "Wow mom, that really is beautiful," he smiled as he and Aaron put the centerpiece into the middle of the table, with Mike pulling the box out of the way.

Cait rubbed his shoulder. "Yes, it is." Mike smiled his approval to his dad. They both knew how much it meant to her.

The centerpiece was almost three feet long to perfectly cover the middle of the eating surface with all it table leaves in. It had three white barked birch logs bundle together with beautiful wide orange ribbons. The golden fall leaves of the tree still hanging from the branches. Maggie inspected it a little more closely. "OMG Cait, the leaves are made of fabric."

Matt pointed at it. "Grandma, are those little white lights in there?"

Mike, setting the box on the floor said, "Yup bro, it is." He looked at all of them, holding up a single white sheet of paper. "And I know how to read instructions." He nodded at Matt to help him find the switch.

The boys picked it up off the table and in the middle of the logs on the bottom was a craved out place for a set of batteries to the lights. Mike turned the switch on and he and Matt put it back down on the table, smiling. Aaron pulled Cait to her side. "I think my team that can't contribute in the cooking department just made a huge one," he smiled, kissing her temple.

Cait kissed him on the lips. "And then some," she smiled at the beautiful centerpiece. "But boys, let's shut it off for now." Matt and Mike smiled at their mother as the rest walked in.

"Wow," Sean said with a smile, knowing the story. He went to Cait and kissed her cheek. "I think bro's team sorta appreciates this." Jarrod and Leslie nodded their agreement.

"Mom, that's just too cool," Jack smiled, giving her a hug.

"Cait, with your china, that will look just absolutely fantastic. The girls picked that out with a lot of love, knowing you," Leslie smiled.

Cait brushed away a tear. "Yes, they did." Matt helped Jack shut off the lights as Mike held it up. The ladies dived into Cait's china hutches in the room to set the table. All the "boys" pitched in.

While the rest walked out of the dining room, Cait lingered and Aaron stayed back. She looked at him with wet eyes. "It really does look beautiful," she said. Aaron kissed her and they headed out.

Cait got the stuffing prepared browning the sausage and then sautéing in butter the mushrooms, onions and celery that Maggie had chopped for her yesterday. Leslie worked on the relish tray of pickles, green onions, radishes, olives. Maggie put together her Doughboy Salad with chopped iceberg lettuce and small cauliflower and broccoli florets on the top. She mixed together the dressing of mayonnaise, sugar and sour cream that would be mixed in before serving with a layer of Baco's on the top.

The relish tray done, wrapped in plastic and in the fridge in the garage, Leslie started Cait's orange Jell-O recipe, with orange juice instead of cold water that the boys loved and had become a Spencer and Kevin favorite as well. She would add the bananas as the Jell-O started to set. Sandy, JJ's mother, was once again making Cait's Strawberry salad that was hit with the group as well.

After Cait got the two pans of stuffing loaded to the top, covered, and on the washer in the laundry room, she pulled out the frozen bag of 36 dinner rolls from the freezer and got them arranged in their bake pans to thaw out and rise. The three ladies would walk by Cait's always present list and checked off items.

Maggie had peeled the potatoes yesterday that would be cooked and mashed. Sitting in cold water, they were in the Hotchner's lightly heated garage, sitting on the concrete floor. The water would stay cold, keeping the potatoes white, but would not freeze.

They all looked at each other. Cait smiled. "All I have to do is peel the apples for my pie and get the turkey in."

Maggie agreed. "The vegetables will be a quick fix."

Leslie looked at the list; corn and green bean casserole and smiled. "They're pretty easy."

"And Fran is making sweet potatoes for Derek and our two Hotchner men," Cait smiled at Leslie.

Maggie looked at her. "If I remember correctly, Will was all over them as well," she smiled. The other two nodded at the memory from last Thanksgiving.

The guys were not slouching off by any means. Derek had dropped off his beer purchases on Tuesday night, including a case of the Hotchner family's favorite Miller Lite in bottles. Matt, the bartender of the downstairs den, along with Mike, were stocking the bar fridge with the beer for the team, hauling them down from the fridge in the garage, setting them on the floor of the bar area. Jack's job was to put the bottles in the fridge. He started to match beer bottle labels, and put them all together, to the praise of his older brothers. Mike shook his head as he and Matt went up the steps for the next load. "Mike," Matt asked.

"You didn't notice?" Matt shook his head.

"He's dad's son alright," he said with a huge smile. "They're in alphabetical order." Matt roared with laughter.

Dave's bottle of scotch, along with his addition of a bottle of Bailey's was already stocked as well. They all knew Emily would add one more bottle of Bailey's as well. The boys, with their allowance, had chipped in on the bags of ice cubes that were in the freezer in the garage. They would be used later. Father Jimmy, who would join them for dessert and drinks, had added a couple of containers of Tom and Jerry batter. Cait and Aaron already had the brandy and rum needed for the delicious hot drink.

Aaron and Jarrod got both the fireplaces roaring; Jarrod in the Great Room and Hotch downstairs in the den, with Sean hauling in more wood to stock both the wood boxes by the fireplaces. After Matt and Mike finished the beer run, they pitched in on the wood hauling as well. Sean had pretty much cleaned out the wood box in the garage of the wood that dried under the garage heater. Matt and Mike put on their winter coats and re-stocked the box from the pile alongside the garage they had cut and split over Labor Day from Uncle Dave's land at the cabin as Sean topped off the boxes inside.

The whole family met together back in the kitchen. Cait looked at the clock on the oven. 11:22 it read and she smiled at them all. "Team Hotchner rocks," she smiled. They all shared a group high five as the baby monitor Cait still had bellowed Wyatt's want to get in on the festivities.

"Can I go get him Aunt Leslie," Jack asked, with a huge smile.

Leslie smiled. "How are you with a poopy diaper Jack?"

He frowned and Matt rubbed his head. "I don't want any part of that either bro." Leslie laughed and started to move to the steps.

"Les, I can get him," Sean smiled.

Leslie rubbed his bicep and kissed his cheek. "I've got him," she said as she moved to the stairs.

Aaron looked at his two oldest sons, not showered and unshaved. "Get," was his one word command, pointing to the steps as well.

The boys looked at their parents. "Do we have downtime afterwards to game a bit together," Matt asked. Aaron and Cait nodded their smiles.

"Sweet," Mike said, as they turned.

"Hey guys," Sean said, stopping them. "Whoever showers first is up to you two; but you might not want to go into your gaming room until you're both done. Remember, my son and his poopy diaper are in there right now," he smiled.

"Message received Uncle Sean," Mike smiled, clamping a hand on his shoulder as the boys headed up the steps. They shook the house pounding up the steps as usual with Aaron and Cait just shaking their heads.

Jarrod smiled. "What does Uncle Dave always say?"

The door from the garage to kitchen had already opened and the question was heard as Mudg bounded in.

###


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Paybacks are a bitch," Rossi bellowed from the garage door entry way. Cait just shook her head at her husband and looked at Jack.

He rolled his eyes. "Mom, I know Uncle Dave." She and Aaron shared a laugh.

Dave came in and gave Cait a kiss. "Any cinnamon rolls left?" Cait held up a small plate of the one left wrapped in plastic wrap. She pulled the wrap off and put it into the microwave as Mudg bounded into the kitchen for his loves from Cait, Aaron and Jack. She pointed at the coffee pot. "That's a fresh pot; you help yourself on that."

Dave smiled. "Pot number….," he questioned.

Aaron laughed. "With this crew around here?" Number three."

Sean took his coat as Cait pulled out the cinnamon roll. Dave reached for the coffee mug tree and poured himself of cup. Leslie handed him the half and half from the fridge. Dave shared hugs with the both of them.

"I saw Matt's car in my garage last yesterday when I got home from work," he smiled. "Did he get to drive dad's last night to church?"

Aaron laughed. "Cait and I figured that one out from the get-go." Cait pointed at him. Jarrod, sitting at the lunch counter, softly whistled at them in the kitchen and nodded towards the Great Room.

Wyatt was playing with a toy that Cait had bought at the same garage sale as the playpen. It was one he could bang on that made noise. _I know boys_ she had smiled as she had picked it out. They all looked and smiled to see how it would play out. Dave greeted Maggie and Jarrod as he sat down at the lunch counter with his roll and coffee.

Wyatt stopped and eyed the black Lab, with his graying muzzle, silently pursuing the edge of the Great Room. Beans, as usual, was in full mode of taking care of her young charge, lying next to the fire, yet keeping an eye on him. She sat up, looking at Mudg and softly barked.

Mudg ventured in still on guard about the young pup. Wyatt was on the same page, eyeing the elder statesman of the Hotchner/Rossi dog world. Mudg slowly walked in closer, took a large sniff and then backed away a step, circling Wyatt a bit. The stare down between the Rossi dog and the young Hotchner continued. Dave pulled Jack into his lap smiling.

Cait giggled. "Someone else has learned the Hotchner glare," she whispered. Aaron lightly pinched her butt. She laughed in her husband's chest.

The scene repeated again and Beans stood up, shaking herself. She walked over to Wyatt and plopped down next to him with a stretch of her body on the floor. Wyatt smiled and rubbed the fur on her back as Beans pounded her large tail on the floor.

Jack looked at Cait. She shook her head. "That's for Wyatt and Mudg to work out," she whispered.

Mudg finally went to Wyatt and sat down next to him. When Wyatt reached his hand out to pet the elder statesman, Mudg stood up. He smelled the small hand and then sat back down next to him. Wyatt patted him on the neck as Mudg wagged his tail.

With the cold morning sunshine streaming into the house, Jack's smile was even brighter. "That's just too cool," he observed.

Wyatt went back to his toy, pounding out noise and both the dogs disappeared into Cait and Aaron's bedroom. The family shared a laugh.

Cait rubbed Aaron's arm. "Can you go out into the garage and get the turkey. It should be at room temp a bit before I put it in."

Sean smiled. "I got it bro," and headed for the garage. Dave caught up with the Barkley's.

Cait's cell pinged with text. She picked it up and smiled as she read the text from Jake. _You all gonna be watching me?_

_Hell no; I've got a dinner to cook. :D _she texted back as Aaron looked over his shoulder, laughing. "He must be getting dressed in the locker room."

Jarrod shook his head. "And knowing Jake; with butterflies in his stomach the size of eagles."

Jack looked at him. "That big grandpa?"

"Yup Jack; Jake always gets the jitters while he's dressing for a game."

"I can't wait to see him play again," Jack smiled. Aaron and Cait had the NFL ticket which allowed them to see Jake start for the Packers the last three games. While they lost the game to the Bears when Aaron Rodgers got hurt and Jake stepped in, they had won the next three games with Jake playing well.

They all enjoyed their time together with the older, showered and shaved boys joining in until Wyatt howled that he was ready for his lunch. Aaron picked him up off the floor and immediately handed him to Sean, shaking his head. "I'm done changing diapers. He's all yours." Baby's urine could smell almost as bad as the poop.

Sean took a whiff and looked at his big brother. "Sean, what did you just hear about paybacks? I took care of more than one of yours. He's your son." Sean smiled and took him upstairs as Leslie got his lunch ready.

Cait got the turkey seasoned and set the oven. Maggie started peeling apples for Cait's pie. Leslie fed Wyatt, letting Jack help her. By his third bite, the other two boys watching had taken over. Wyatt giggled at the three of them battling who put the next spoonful in his mouth. When they took too long to decide, Wyatt loudly let them know. The adults all laughed.

The three Hotchner boys settled into a routine of sharing, one after the other and Wyatt got filled up as Cait put the turkey in the oven. Leslie got him cleaned up and handed the warm bottle of milk to Aaron. She pulled him out the highchair and Aaron happily took him. Wyatt drank his bottle in his uncle's arms as he stood in the kitchen, beaming at newest part of the Hotchner family tree. Cait rubbed his back, smiling proudly as Aaron proved to be an expert at getting Wyatt to burp. Sean just shook his head at the second one that got rave reviews from his cousins.

Mike grabbed Wyatt's toes. "That one came from here didn't it," he smiled.

Wyatt kicked his feet at Mike, taking more of his bottle with a smile. When he finished, Aaron set him on the floor and Wyatt took off. Aaron shook his head. "Look out world; he's loose again." Wyatt made a beeline to their bedroom, looking for the dogs. Aaron and Jack filled the older boys in on the earlier escapade with Wyatt getting to know Mudg.

"Aww man, we missed that," Matt moaned.

Aaron looked at his oldest sons. Mike rolled his eyes at his brother.

"Here's where we get the sermon that we should have been up sooner and ready." Aaron pointed at Mike and Jarrod and Dave shared a hearty laugh, looking at the boys. Mike followed Wyatt into the Great Room to get the football preview game on the TV.

Wyatt sat down in the doorway of Cait and Aaron's bedroom and looked at Mike. He walked over and kneeled down to rub Wyatt's head. "All it takes is a whistle," he smiled. He gently put an index finger of Wyatt's hands into each ear, knowing how a sound like that could affect young eardrums and softly whistled the dogs into action.

Mike picked up Wyatt and set him in the middle of the Great Room as the dogs tumbled out of the bedroom. "There ya go bud," he smiled, rubbing his head. Matt headed downstairs to get the TV on in the den to pregame show as well.

Jack looked at Jarrod. "Grandpa, there's something I've got to do." He raced up the steps. Aaron and Cait shared a smile. His brothers followed him up the steps as Wyatt crawled after the dogs in the Great Room. Mudg quickly caught on to the game.

Morgan pulled his hummer into the Hotchner driveway, with the LaMontagne's on his heels. Morgan smiled and walked to the backseat of their SUV to fish out Henry. He opened the door. "Hey little man," he smiled as Henry got his seatbelt undone. "Whoa; I think I need to start calling you Big Dog," he smiled.

"That's me Derek," Henry smiled. Morgan grabbed the blonde headed boy and set him on his shoulders to Henry's laughter.

The four of them went up the steps to the front porch and rang the doorbell. Aaron entered into the foyer, let them in and smiled as Derek ducked down so Henry wouldn't bang his head on the top of the doorway.

Aaron frowned at JJ. "Where's your mom," he asked taking her coat.

JJ smiled. "She's still working on her pie; so is Fran. Garcia and Kevin are picking them both up on their way here."

Aaron smiled. "Works for me."

Will took Henry's coat that he was about to drop on the floor of the foyer after Derek had pulled him off his shoulders. Henry took off running into the home. "Hi Uncle Aaron," he shouted as he blew by him.

Hotch looked at Morgan. "Is there some way we can bottle that energy and use it when we're out on cases?" He hung up JJ's coat and Will took care of his own and Henry's.

"Damn Hotch, I wish," he smiled hanging up his own coat. Aaron waved them all into the house with a smile.

Henry was looking around for Jack as the rest walked in. Hotch rubbed his head. "Henry, Jack is in his room. He'll be down in a second." He pointed at Wyatt who was sitting in the middle of the room, playing with another toy that Cait had bought for him matching symbols. It didn't make any noise until he did and both the dogs were keeping watch on their young charge. Henry looked at him. Hotch smiled. "Henry, that's Wyatt; and he likes to play with someone."

Henry walked in, plopped down and sat crossed legged and looked at Wyatt. "Hi Wyatt," he smiled. Wyatt eyed him suspiciously until the two dogs both came over and licked Henry's cheek. Wyatt giggled.

Cait and Maggie, on downtime with cooking walked into the Great Room greeting them all. "Where's my sisterhood of mom's," Maggie asked.

Will shook his head. "They've been texting back and forth all morning," he drawled. "And they're both still working on their pies."

JJ, pulling out of hug from Cait, looked at her and Maggie. "Penelope and Kevin are going to pick them up," she smiled. "We're here for the football," she beamed.

Just then Jack came down the stairs with his brothers. All three of them sported the away white jersey of the Green Bay Packers, adorned in the traditional green and gold. And they all wore the same number. A big white 10 was on the front.

Derek looked at the boys. "Don't tell me; that's Uncle Jake's number," he smiled. All three boys turned their backs to reveal the Barkley name across their shoulders. Jack raced to him and Derek threw him in the air and caught him. Aaron looked at Dave and they both looked at each other with a sad shake of the head of the muscular agent. "Uncle Jake sent them to all of you boys didn't he," he said, tickling Jack, making him laugh. Wyatt, hearing Jack laugh, joined in as well.

JJ put a hand around Cait's waist. "It's family time again," she smiled, looking Cait in the eyes. "Thank you," she said, kissing her cheek.

Morgan walked over and kissed her. "Thanks again Mother Goose," he smiled, pulling her into a hug. Will was waiting to do the same when Derek finished. Morgan looked around. "I don't know about all of you, but I'm watching the game in surround sound," and headed for the basement steps.

JJ looked at Cait, who shook her head, waving. "Go and enjoy the game. I've just got to put my pie together and I can do that while I'm watching up here," pointing to the TV she could see from the kitchen. The older boys followed them down the steps along with Jarrod, Sean, Aaron and Dave.

Wyatt yawned deeply and Leslie looked at Jack and Henry. "Go watch the game, you two. Wyatt has to take his nap." The boys flew down the steps with the dogs on their heels. The boys started a basketball game in the playroom as the front door bell rang again. Maggie watching the National Anthem at the start of the game didn't flinch. Cait shook her head at her mother and went to the door.

She looked through the peephole to see Emily's smiling face. Cait opened the door and let her in. Emily took her coat off and shook her head at Cait. "I can hang up my own coat," she smiled. After hanging up her coat, she pulled Cait into a hug. "Thank you again for having us here Cait. It means so much to me; hell all of us," she smiled. They walked into the home together and Emily noticed Maggie in the living room, already pacing.

Cait just shook her head. "Her baby boy is playing a violent game. She paces," Cait explained, squeezing Emily's waist a bit. "I know the feeling," she winked. Emily smiled at her, nodding her understanding. "They're all downstairs to get the game in surround sound," Cait said. "Go join them."

"What about you?"

"I'm gonna get my apple pie prepped and baking," she smiled with a wink. "And keep an eye on someone," she nodded at Maggie. Emily gave Cait's waist a tug and headed down the steps.

When Emily got into the room, she greeted everyone and then looked at Aaron and Jarrod. "Mother Goose number one is pacing," she reported.

Jarrod smiled, shaking his head. "That's Maggie; our seats at the Coliseum were on the aisle next to an exit so she could do that then," he remembered to Jake's playing days at USC.

Aaron shook his head. "Cait told me about that. Don't ask how she was when Matt and Mike were playing."

Jack and Henry stuck their head in the room and Uncle Dave shook his head. The boys went back to their basketball game.

Emily pointed at Hotch. "We got to see that about a month ago, remember?" Aaron nodded and smiled.

Matt looked at Emily. "Where's the rest of the gang?"

"Gina is a huge football fan, but she said she had some things to take care of, so she'd get here when she can. Brian was meeting up with some buddies from college last night, so I think he's probably still feeling like us girls Tuesday morning." Matt and Mike snickered.

Morgan picked up the update. "Reid isn't in to football and you know about Garcia and Kevin." They all smiled as the Packers kicked off to start the game.

"And neither is Alex," Emily smiled, "so I think she and James are enjoying some time together."

They heard Maggie hollering at the TV upstairs. "Tackle him!"

Jarrod just looked at all of them and sadly shook his head.

Matt looked at Jarrod, nodding his head upstairs. "Grandpa?"

Jarrod shook his head. "Matt, leave her alone." Aaron looked at Dave, who shrugged his shoulders.

Detroit started their first series and was on the march to score until their quarterback threw a telegraphed pass and it was intercepted. The crowd downstairs erupted with cheers. Leslie, in the kitchen with Cait, watching her put her pie together smiled at her. "Good thing Wyatt is upstairs and they're down there."

Cait smiled. "That was sorta the plan," she winked. Leslie looked at Maggie pacing as Jake lead the Packer offense on the field. Cait just shook her head.

Leslie stifled a giggle and looked at Cait. "Something I get to look forward to?" She and Sean had watched Mike's games through a video replay on Sunday from the school's website.

Cait laughed. "Teach Wyatt how to play the piano," she winked.

Leslie shook her head. "That's on you Aunt Cait," she smiled, pulling her sister-in-law into a hug. The bond the two ladies shared, loving Hotchner men was strong and unbreakable.

Downstairs, it was too quiet. Knowing Jake, they all watched silently as he took his first snap from his center, handing the ball off to Eddy Lacy, a rookie running back that had earned the starting job. He ran into a wall of Lion defensive lineman.

Matt shook his head. "Damn lineman that doesn't support his team," Matt said under his breath.

Morgan looked at him. "I read about that online," he said. "One of the Packer's O-lineman called the Lions D-line dirty players."

"Sitton," Mike said. "Jake's left tackle."

"Uncle Jake was pissed," Matt added. His grandfather looked at him. "We talk Grandpa."

The second play from scrimmage, Jake went back to pass and got engulfed by two Lions' players, sacked for a loss. The third play didn't go much better. Jarrod rubbed his face across his face. "This looks like a long afternoon."

Emily and Morgan just looked at each other with JJ and Will joining them, all thinking the same thing. _This has got to be tough on a family_.

Maggie was ranting in the living room upstairs. Leslie looked at Cait. "You go down and watch the game with your husband," she smiled. "I," she nodded at her mother, "will try to keep her corralled so she doesn't wake up Wyatt," Cait smiled.

"Cait, you sure?"

Knowing that Leslie was huge football fan, she smiled, rubbing her arm. "Enjoy some time with your husband."

"What about you and Aaron," Leslie honestly asked.

Cait just smiled and winked. Leslie beamed back at her and headed downstairs.

Cait got her pie in the bottom oven to bake, shushing Maggie several times to hold it down with Wyatt sleeping upstairs. The front doorbell rang. Cait was surprised to see the person on the other side of the peephole.

"Spencer, what you doing here so early," she asked with a smile, welcoming him in the door.

He smiled as Cait took his coat and hung it up. Maggie groaned in the Great Room. Spencer smiled. "To maybe learn a little more about football," he cautiously said. Cait looked at him. "If I'm a member of this family of ours, I think I need to broaden my horizons," he smiled, giving her a hug.

Cait smiled. "They're all downstairs in the man cave," she smiled. As Reid moved to the steps, he stopped, looking at Maggie. Cait shook her head. "It's a mom thing Spencer." He smiled and descended the steps.

Reid walked into the room and saw Morgan walking behind one of the couches in the corner of the room with the fireplace going. "How's it going," he asked, nodding at the TV.

"Not good, Pretty Boy." He, Aaron and Dave filled in the rest of the blanks.

Reid looked at the score in the corner of the TV. "But they're only down by three points."

"A field goal, Pretty Boy; but Jake is getting hammered." Spencer just nodded.

Yet, the Packer defense caused a turnover deep in the Lion's zone, which resulted in a touchdown as one of the defensive backs scooped up the fumbled ball and ran it in. The crowd in the man cave cheered; even Reid. They all heard Maggie upstairs. He then looked at Morgan. "That's a good thing right?"

Morgan just smiled and rubbed Reid's shoulder. Gina showed up a few minutes later, and by the start of the second quarter, the group downstairs was drinking their first beer. Brian Anderson showed up as well. He passed on Morgan's offer of a beer. "I'll pass for right now," he said.

Morgan gave the young agent his megawatt smile. "Been there, done that Brian," he said, rubbing his shoulder. Matt smiled, went to the bar fridge and pulled out a plastic bottle. He walked to Brian and handed him a bottle of water.

"Thanks Matt," Brian smiled.

Dave looked at Matt. "A little experience in that department Mattie?" Matt just shook his head. Dave and Hotch shared a knowing smile. Everyone else in the room, except Spencer, nodded their agreement. Mike, while not yet having the experience, looked at his older brother.

"So that's why when I walk into our bathroom you're sucking the water faucet dry." Matt flipped him off.

Dave shook his head. "Matthew my boy; my pride and joy," he smiled. "What are paybacks?"

Matt smiled at his uncle and gave a point to his brother. _You'll get there soon_. Sean looked at Aaron and laughed. Aaron just hung his head, shaking it. The team roared with laughter.

###

**A/N: I know; it's American football. I've tried to keep it really bland with the specifics for those of you that don't understand. Just bear with me.**

**The Coliseum is LA Coliseum were USC plays their home football games.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The first half of the game ended with the Packers down 10-7 with David Akers, the Lion's field goal kicker, shanking one off to the right. Aaron looked at Dave and Jarrod. "We dodged a bullet on that." They both shook their heads.

Reid looked at Morgan. "Kid, being down by three is better than being down by six. And that's a win for the Packers; something they can build on in the locker room at half time." Reid looked at him with a question.

Matt walked by the two of them. "The Packers are playing like shit Doc," he stated. "They should be losing by a lot more." Derek just nodded his head at the young genius with his finger point at Matt.

Aaron headed up the steps. He smelt Cait's apple pie baking in the oven, looking around. "Where's mom?"

Cait shook her head. "In the den bitching and trying to keep quiet so she doesn't wake up Wyatt." Aaron laughed. "How's it going down there?"

Aaron shook his head. "I just learned our oldest son knows the cold water cure for a hangover."

Cait looked at him. "He's a sophomore in college; that surprises you dad," she said pulling him into a hug. "And Mr. Profiler," she laughed in his arms.

Aaron laughed as well. "Not really; but it was an eye-opener for him to admit it." Cait giggled and they shared their hug a bit more.

Dave walked into the kitchen and smiled at them. He pulled the refrigerator door open. "Dave," Cait asked.

"I'm getting hungry; that pie and bird," he said, pointing at the oven "is starting to smell too good." Cait looked at him. "Yeah, I know; I don't want to fill up; but I just need something to tide me over."

Three minutes later, the entire group was in the kitchen, enjoying a few crackers and cheese spread that Cait had in the fridge. Cait smiled that they all enjoyed her kitchen. She remembered the plaque that her grandmother had in her kitchen. _No matter where I serve my guests, it seems they like my kitchen best_.

The doorbell rang and Mike went to answer it, shoving a cracker in his mouth. He smiled at the group on the porch through the peephole and opened the door. The rest had arrived. Mike whistled for Matt as Kevin and James helped carry in the pies, sweet potatoes and salad for Fran and Sandy. Garcia blew in like her usual whirlwind with Alex smiling at the wonderful tech agent that was a godsend in the lives of the team. James smiled at her as well, handing Sandy's salad to Mike.

Mike looked at him, whispering. "Alex has explained her to you?"

James nodded and rubbed his shoulder. "And you look better than the last time I saw you," he smiled.

"I feel better," Mike smiled, hanging up his coat as Penelope and Alex took the pies and salad from the boys so they could get their coats hung up. Both of the boys shared huge hugs with Fran and Sandy. James and Kevin smiled at each other. Garcia was the next one to get some loves from her boys.

"It's halftime in the game; we're all snacking a bit in mom's kitchen," Matt smiled, pointing them to Cait's haven. They all ventured in. The greetings and Penelope's enthusiasm filled the kitchen with even more warmth.

Penelope looked around. "Where's Maggie?"

Jarrod shook his head. "Trying to decompress from a bad first half of football."

Penelope looked at him, shaking her head. "I have no idea what that totally means, but I'll assume that it has something to do with her youngest son playing."

Morgan kissed her cheek. "That's exactly it Baby Girl," he smiled.

"But where's my two little angels," she asked. She looked at the older boys. "You're my older angels," she smiled.

Mike kissed her cheek. "Thanks Penny; they're downstairs playing basketball, getting hot, sweaty and smelly."

Garcia looked at him. "This is really a sports day?"

Dave smiled at her. "Kitten, they're being boys."

Cait pulled her oldest sons aside and signed a message to them. They both smiled and disappeared. Maggie joined the group and greeted them, with Aaron introducing her and Jarrod to Alex and James.

When the "mom's club" aka Maggie, Sandy and Fran had shared their warm greetings, Matt walked back into the kitchen and winked at Cait.

Will looked at the TV in the living room. "The second half is about to start. The Packers will be getting the kick-off."

"Not so fast Will; please," Cait said. He looked at her. "I received a package yesterday," she smiled at the group. Emily looked at JJ and Alex with a smile. "It meant the world to me," Cait said, her eyes brimming with tears. Aaron wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She nodded her head for all of them to follow her. She and Aaron walked arm in arm to the formal dining room of their home and Aaron opened the doors.

They all looked in. The table for their Thanksgiving dinner was exquisitely set with the plates, silverware, water/milk goblets and wine glasses perfectly placed along with the name tags that Cait always made with cookies, candy corn and chocolate covered cherries that looked like turkeys. Maggie had added the calligraphy names to them. There was an additional goodie next to the name tags. A small ginger snap cookie had some chocolate frosting holding a curved piece of pretzel on the top. On the bottom, was a Hershey's kiss, held by the same frosting. They looked like acorns.

And in the middle was the beautiful centerpiece the group had bought for Cait with the little white lights brightly shining.

Aaron held her close as Cait looked at all of them. "If this your way of telling us that you want this tradition," she smiled, wiping a tear, "I'm in. It's beautiful and I love it."

The team all looked at each other with smiles. Emily had shared a photo of the centerpiece with Dave and Derek.

The elder statesman of the group spoke up. "No Cait, this tells you how much we appreciate and love the tradition you've started." Dave kissed her cheek.

"And how much we love this haven you have created here for us," Derek added, squeezing his arms around his mother and Garcia.

Cait looked at Emily and JJ, arm in arm. She knew what they both went through with Doyle and shook her head. They both had tears in their eyes as well. Cait just shook her head at them with a smile.

Alex looked at James and smiled at them all as he pulled his wife close. "I'm just so thankful we're a part of this family now," she added. James nodded as well.

Yet it was Reid that added the perfect coda. "I'm going to get my mom here for this; someday; somehow."

###

**A/N: Just because I love all of you, I adjusted this story to get all of you your Monday two for one special.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

They all shared hugs and headed back downstairs to watch the game. The timer went off on the oven and Cait pulled out her pie, set it on her cooling racks and joined them. Matt handed her a beer, which she accepted with a smile. The mother's club was at the lunch counter, sharing a glass of wine that Mike had poured for them. Maggie, still keeping an eye on the game, had settled down to talk with her friends.

Jack and Henry came out of the playroom with no shirts on. No shirts, no undershirts, nothing. Cait and JJ looked at them. The boys looked at their mothers. "We got hot," they said in unison.

"And Jack said it was OK; Matt and Mike do it when they get hot," Henry defended. Cait rolled her eyes at her oldest sons, with Hotch smiling, kissing her cheek.

"I do it too Doc," he smiled.

Will smiled at JJ. They had bought a house that summer. "So do I," he smiled at JJ.

"'Specially when you're mowing the lawn daddy," Henry smiled.

"That's right buddy," Will drawled.

Mike went to the bar frig and got out a bottle of water for both of them. The boys thirstily sucked it down as Jake led the Packers down the field. "At least put your t-shirts back on boys so you don't catch cold," Cait said. They went in and got their shirts and came back in to watch the game.

Derek looked at Reid, pointing to the TV. "They made some adjustments over halftime. Watch Pretty Boy,' he smiled. On a passing play, with Jake being extremely mobile, they would roll him out in the backfield, away from the pass rush of the Lions. The third quarter ended with the Packers up 20-10.

Cait went upstairs to check on things. The three moms were busy talking and laughing. Cait looked at her mother. "Sorry to interrupt, I think we can make a four o'clock dinner time."

Maggie looked at the clock on the oven and smiled. "I don't see why not." Cait was about to head back downstairs when she heard Wyatt on the baby monitor. She went upstairs, pulled him out of the playpen, changed his diaper and took him downstairs to the den.

Wyatt looked at all the new faces and clung to Cait for dear life. She kissed his cheek. "I've got some things to do upstairs," she said handing him to Aaron. Aaron sat him in his lap and Wyatt cuddled to his chest, checking out all the new people. Dave, sitting next to Aaron on one of the couches, tickled him and Wyatt giggled. Wyatt still hadn't made up his mind about the man he had seen around before and kept studying Dave. During a commercial, JJ had come over to talk to him; Wyatt clung to Aaron tighter.

Leslie looked at JJ. "He just got up from a nap and it always takes him a while to get used to new people."

After a few minutes, Wyatt's curiosity got the best of him, and he reached out his hands to Dave. Dave smiled, set his beer down on the coffee table and took him from Aaron. He tried to set him down but Wyatt wouldn't have any of that. So Dave got him standing in his lap, holding him by the waist with both hands on his still wobbly legs. Wyatt took one look at him, smiled, and rubbed Dave's goatee. He giggled with delight.

"At least someone likes that goat of yours," Aaron teased. Wyatt did it again but his fingers too close to Dave's mouth. He gently captured the little fingers in his lips. Wyatt's eyes flew wide open and then he laughed. There was a second game on in the den as they all laughed at Wyatt and Dave playing together, Penelope recording the moment for posterity with her digital camera.

Wyatt soon tired of the game and Matt standing behind his dad and Dave, grabbed Wyatt and put him on the floor with Jack and Henry who playing with their cars. Jack gave Wyatt a plastic one and he happily played with the boys.

In the kitchen, Cait stirred together the green bean casserole and got the frozen corn in the pan with water, ready for them to be boiled at the appointed time. Mike had come upstairs to grab a soda for himself from the garage. Cait had him bringing the potato pan and he set it on the stove for her with a smile. "Can I say I'm getting hungry?" he smiled.

"When aren't you," Cait said with a smile, shooing him back downstairs to the game. Maggie shot a look at the TV and glared at Cait. "Why didn't you tell me Detroit tied it up?"

"Because we have company and you need to keep your blood pressure down." Maggie grabbed her wine glass and smiled her apologies at Sandy and Fran.

Fran shook her head. "I understand completely," she smiled. Sandy nodded her head as well.

The Packers got the ball with a little over three minutes left on their own twenty. Jake efficiently got them down the field and with ten seconds left, hit Jordy Nelson in the corner of the end zone for a game winning touchdown. The crowd downstairs whooped it up as did the ladies upstairs.

The noise startled Wyatt and he started to cry. Jack slid next to him and held him close. "It's OK Wyatt," he soothed. Henry silently came over and sat down on Wyatt's other side. The two boys sat with their arms around their little buddy, each wiping a tear as Wyatt smiled. Penelope Garcia did not miss the picture.

They all filtered about. Alex went upstairs and walked into Cait's kitchen. "Do you mind if I watch the master cook at work?" she smiled.

"Not at all," Cait smiled back. "But its cooks; plural. I have help."

"Just don't get in her way," Emily said, coming to stand by Alex.

"Emily, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure Cait; what do you need."

Cait smiled. "Please take Fran and Sandy in the dining room and show them your centerpiece."

"Ummm Cait; that's your centerpiece. We just loved getting it for you," she smiled as Sandy and Fran followed her to the dining room. Fran and Sandy greatly admired the beautiful centerpiece.

Sandy looked at her. "I'd say that was worth a hangover," she smiled evilly.

"Good God; does JJ tell you everything?"

Sandy slightly smiled and put her arm around Emily's waist. "Not quite everything."

Emily pulled her into a hug. "She was my godsend during that time." Sandy rubbed her back and Fran smiled.

"Was my Derek in on this escapade?" Fran asked.

"Oh hell no Fran; none of us would have made it to work the next day." They all laughed and went back into the kitchen.

Cait was pulling out the turkey to baste it as they did. It smelt wonderful and was just starting to turn a soft golden brown. "That looks wonderful Cait," Alex said.

Cait looked at her. "Thank you; but if you say you're getting hungry, I'm throwing you out of my kitchen. I hear that forty times a day with the males I've got around here." The ladies all laughed.

Precisely at three, Cait and Maggie became the organized, almost choreographed team that they were in Cait's kitchen. Cait salted the potatoes and Maggie got the heat turned on to get them boiling. Cait put the green bean casserole in the lower oven on the bottom shelf. The top shelf would bake the buns.

Cait put in the two pans of stuffing on the bottom shelf of the top oven with the turkey. She looked at Fran. "Tell us when you need to start your sweet potatoes," she smiled.

"You got it Cait," she smiled.

Jack and Henry walked into the kitchen. "Mom, we're hungry." Cait just rolled her eyes and shook her head as the rest of them laughed. Maggie and Sandy gently chased their grandsons out, telling to them to find something to do for an hour.

Cait looked at the group. "At least they've got their shirts back on." Cait stopped and thought. "Jack," she bellowed. "Please get on a different shirt for dinner besides your jersey."

"Got it mom," he hollered back.

Aaron coming up the steps from the den added, "And tell you brothers to do the same please Jack. They don't wear football jerseys to the Thanksgiving table."

"Got it dad," he said as he and Henry sped up the steps to his room. Matt and Mike were gaming again. Leslie was already in the kitchen. Dave carried Wyatt up the steps, talking with Sean. Dave sat down with Wyatt in his usual chair, joining Sandy and Fran. Wyatt lasted all of ten seconds. Sandy took him from Dave and set him down on the floor. He took off for the Great Room as the dogs, their afternoon nap finished, let him chase them around the Great Room. The rest of the group laughed at the scene.

Derek turned the TV to second holiday football game on CBS. After fifteen minutes, Beans looked at Sean. "Got it girl," he smiled, giving her a rub. He whistled for Mudg and took them to the garage to let them out.

Wyatt plopped down on his butt in the middle of the Great Room and looked around with a frown. JJ sat down next to him. "You're mine now," she smiled. She pulled the toy to get him to match symbols off the wood box and they played together.

Leslie looked at Cait. "Tell me what I can do."

Cait smiled. "Find a strong man to get the centerpiece off the table and put it on our bed. Then you can get the two butter dishes on the table."

Dave got of his chair. "I'm your man Leslie," he brightly smiled. Jarrod followed him in to help. Leslie pulled the already prepped butter dishes out of the fridge, pulled the plastic wrap off and followed them in. She took the two butter knives that Cait had laying on the table from her silver service and put them on the plates.

As Jarrod shut the lights off on the centerpiece, Dave looked at Leslie and Jarrod, smiling. "Cait knows how to set a table." He looked at Jarrod. "Something I think she learned from her mom and grandma."

Jarrod smiled. "Mom was a stickler for how a holiday table looked," he smiled, nodding his head. "She learned."

"Jarrod, she learned from one of the best. And you will never know how much this means to some people around here."

Jarrod smiled at him, nodding at the centerpiece. "Dave, with all due respect, I think I do."

Dave looked at him. "You're probably right," he broadly smiled, taking the piece to Cait and Aaron's bedroom.

When he returned, Fran was in the kitchen as well, gently working the sweet potatoes into their browned goodness on the stove top. She kept on eye on the corn that was starting to boil as well. Reid, standing next to Derek in the Great Room, shrugged as his stomach rumbled at the smells. James, Kevin and Will added their agreement. "Right with ya pretty boy," he smiled. Sean was standing in a corner of the kitchen, out of way, but ready to mash the potatoes.

Cait pulled the bird out, basting it one more time. "Five more minutes honey," she smiled as she put it back in. She stuck the rolls in the bottom oven. Alex just looked at Sandy and shook her head. Leslie pulled Maggie's Doughboy salad from the fridge and mixed in the dressing. When she finished, she put the plastic wrap back over it and stuck the bowl back in the appliance.

Cait took the turkey from the oven and set it on the hot pads on the island. Dave came in and using two of Cait's large cooking forks, got the bird out of the pan, setting it on a jelly pan. Cait pushed the top of the roasting pan over the turkey and Dave added the towels to keep it warm. Maggie nodded at Sean and he grabbed the large pan of potatoes and moved to the sink, getting the water drained off. Cait put the pan with the cooked off fat of the turkey that would be the base to her gravy on the same burner of the stove.

After Sean got the potatoes drained, he set them on the island as well with another set of hot pads already placed. Maggie added a stick of butter and she and Sean shared a smile. "You got the rest?"

"All over it Maggie," he smiled, grabbing Cait's potato masher from one of her many ceramic cooking utensil holders she had around the kitchen.

Aaron stuck his head in the kitchen. "Now Doc?"

"Now." Aaron went to the steps and let out a whistle. The two older boys shook the house again coming down the steps as the younger boys followed. Jarrod, Aaron and the boys got the water and milk poured, with Mike's help on Jack and Henry's data from the group. Spencer helped a bit on that with a wink at the younger boys. Matt came in from the garage with the already partially opened wine bottles and expertly poured like his uncles had taught him. Alex and James just shook their heads at the precision of the family. Leslie started handing the salads and Jell-O's to the ladies gathered and they took them to the table, putting in the silver spoon that Leslie told them. Mike went to the garage and got the relish tray.

Dave entered the kitchen to carve the turkey as Sean mashed the potatoes. Cait pulled the rolls out and buttered the tops. Emily broke them down and got them into the two baskets Cait had waiting for them. Sandy took them into the dining room and set them on the table. JJ stood off to the side, holding Wyatt. He eyed JJ's necklace she got from her sister, Roslyn, but knew not to touch it.

Once everything was on the table, Hotch looked around. "Please everyone find you place and sit down."

"Thanks Hotch," Will smiled. "I'm starving."

"Me too daddy," Henry said. They all found their places and sat down. The boys did the prayers with proud smiles from their parents. Even Wyatt, in his highchair between Leslie and Aaron at the head of the table stayed quiet through them.

Before anyone could start to grab a dish to pass, Dave gently clinked his spoon on his wine glass, and then raised it. "To the family gathered at the table and to the family that hosts this tradition." They all raised their glasses in a toast.

"Now start passing," Dave said. "To the left correct Mrs. Hotchner?"

"Exactly Mr. Rossi," Cait smiled. They all stated to fill their plates, talking and laughing; enjoying their time together.

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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you all again for all of the support and reviews. I really appreciate it. Get prepared for another surprise!**

Chapter 8

Cait looked at Sean. "This is my favorite time during a dinner. When everyone is quiet because they're eating," she smiled. Sean nodded with a knowing smile. Just then Wyatt let it be known that he didn't have anything on his tray. Cait laughed; "Except for your son of course." They all laughed as Cait made some suggestions to Leslie of a few of the things he could eat of the table food.

"I don't want to spoil his dinner," Leslie said, breaking apart small bites of her dinner roll. Between that and Aaron giving him a few bites of his sweet potatoes, Wyatt seemed happy just watching all the others. Cait took a banana from Jack's orange Jell-O and Aaron gave that to him as well after he had cut it up.

Everyone raved about how everything tasted and Emily just shook her head at Reid as he dove into his second helping of the stuffing. "When's the last time you ate Dr. Reid? Tuesday?" she teased. He just smiled as Alex passed him some more gravy for his stuffing. The older Hotchner boys held their own in the eating department with Jarrod just shaking his head at them.

Maggie looked at her husband. "I think Jack is putting it in his pockets." Jack just shook his head with a smile as put in another bite. Fran eyed her own son, who gave her his megawatt smile, reaching for more of the doughboy salad.

The younger boys finally finished and they were excused to the bathroom to wash their face and hands. They headed upstairs when they were done to finish their puzzle. After everyone finished, Matt and Mike cleared the plates while the adults talked. Matt took Wyatt from Leslie and set him down on the floor between the kitchen and dining room where Beans and Mudg were waiting to do their own clean up. Wyatt climbed all over them, giggling and laughing. Cait could have sworn they rolled their eyes at each other.

Sean finally got up and grabbed the high chair and took it to the nook table. Wyatt would soon be demanding his own dinner. He washed and dried the tray and put it back on the chair. He then went into the kitchen and started on some clean up. Everyone got up from the table and with all hands grabbing a dish, the table was soon cleared.

Cait tried to get into her kitchen to help with the leftovers. "No you don't Cait; we've got this." He looked at Derek. "Agent Morgan, get her out of here."

Derek put his arm around Cait. "Come quietly Mother Goose," he smiled, "and no one will get hurt."

"Namely you," Cait smiled at him, rubbing his back. Wyatt bellowed for his dinner.

"See Mother Goose," Derek smiled, "you've got something to do."

Cait picked him up and took a whiff. "I've got something for you to do," she smiled at Derek. He just shook his head with a smile. "Cream puff; you can take down big bad unsubs but you can't change a dirty diaper."

"That's absolutely right," he smiled. He got the fireplace loaded up again with logs. Cait took Wyatt upstairs, changed him and checked on the boys. They were heads down in finishing the puzzle, hardly talking. When she got back downstairs, Leslie had Wyatt's dinner waiting for him.

Emily sat down next to her and watched her feed him, smiling. "It's like a baby bird; they open their mouth and you put it in."

"Yup it is," Cait said, holding Wyatt's hand away. "Except baby birds don't have hands." Emily laughed. By the time she finished, Maggie, Sandy and Fran had been banished as well.

Fran sat down at the table, as Cait was about to give Wyatt his bottle. "Since I'm not going to get any grandbabies from my kids, can I?" Cait smiled and handed him to her. Wyatt happily went along with the plan.

"Awww mom, give it up," Derek said.

"Yeah, why is that Derek?" Emily asked. "And where's the hot doll today?"

"I'm going to get the fire going again downstairs." He disappeared to catcalls and cries of "Chicken".

Matt came out of the kitchen pushing his phone in his pocket. "Mom, I've got to run out for a bit."

"Matt," Cait asked.

He shook her off. "A friend needs a hand with something. I'll be back in less than an hour." He looked at his dad.

Aaron shook his head with a smile. "Take mine Matt; please be careful."

"I will dad," he smiled. "Thanks." Wyatt loudly burped his acceptance to his cousin and they all laughed.

The dishes done, they milled around the house with the scotch and Bailey's bottle out. Aaron and Dave bartended and Mike delivered them. Alex looked at Cait. "I've seen your study, but I would love to see the rest of your home," she smiled.

Cait smiled at her. "Let me give you the nickel tour," she smiled, taking her scotch and Bailey's and motioning to Alex to follow her to the master bedroom and bath.

Alex looked around the spacious bathroom. "This is one thing I wish James and I had," she smiled. "And oh, a Jacuzzi tub. Now I'm envious."

As they crossed the living room to go upstairs, Alex rubbed James' arm and pointed. "They have my dream bathroom."

"Oh goody," James said. "The redecorating bug is back in season." They all laughed and he went in to take a look.

Alex asked questions about the house as they went up the steps, with Cait explaining she had it built after she got the settlement from her first husband's estate. They went into Jack's room first and Alex noticed the pillow in the window seat. Jack looked at her. "That's where I talk to mommy when I need to," he smiled. He went back to the puzzle.

"Wow, you guys," Alex said. "You've just about got that done."

Henry nodded. "And it's a big one; seven… seven…."

"Seven hundred fifty pieces," Jack added, helping his friend out.

"Yeah, that big," Henry said. They both laughed and left so the boys could finish.

"Do they always play that well," Alex asked.

"From day one," Cait smiled. "They've got their own little brotherhood of parents traveling with the BAU." They chatted some more with Cait showing her the rest of the boys upstairs suite.

"Cait, it's a beautiful house plan you selected and perfect for the boys. And not even knowing about Jack back then. Your site selection is wonderful as well; how did you find the property to build on?"

Cait smiled. "Two words Alex: David Rossi." Alex beamed back.

Alex looked at her. "The girls the other night filled me in on why there won't be any more children. Does that bother you Cait?"

She shook her head. "When Aaron and I were in NYC for Wyatt's baptism, we got to celebrate our anniversary one night. The boys stayed with Sean and Leslie. We talked; a baby really wouldn't fit into our lives at this point." She smiled at Alex. "I've got a nephew to spoil; that's good enough for me." Alex gave her a hug and they headed downstairs.

Downstairs, everyone was relaxing. Derek, Emily, Will and JJ were in the den in the basement, shooting a game of pool, with the rest of the BAU kibitzing. Jarrod and Dave were talking sports, the mothers were doing their thing and James and Aaron were in the Master bedroom talking remodeling. Sean and Leslie enjoyed a relaxing moment together on the couch, enjoying their Bailey's as Wyatt happily played. The dogs, after having their own supper, were conked out by the French doors. Mike had passed his mother and Alex on the steps to catch up with social media.

Aaron and James walked out of the master bedroom as Alex and Cait returned. "Cait built a perfect home for the boys James. It's amazing," she smiled. She had told James all she learned on the girls' night out. "And Jack fits right in."

Aaron nodded his head at James. "We lucked out," he smiled.

"The suite upstairs for the boys is wonderful," Alex smiled. James smiled back. Everyone pretty much had figured out that kids were not in the Blake family future. They respected the decision.

Alex looked at Cait. "Just how long have you and Dave known each other."

Before Dave could answer, Cait said, "Too damn long." The room burst out with laughter. Cait and Aaron heard the garage entry way door open but thought nothing of it.

Less than twenty seconds later, a voice bellowed from the entry way. "There better be leftovers." Maggie and Jarrod's heads popped up and Cait started to move to the entry way. Jake Barkley walked in with Matt. "Happy Thanksgiving everyone," he smiled with a wave. Cait grabbed him in a big hug and Jake lifted her off the floor.

"Put me down you ass," she smiled. Jake kissed her cheek and set Cait on her feet.

"I'm just testing out that new and improved back of yours sis," he smiled. "You pass."

"So do you; great game today." Jake kissed her again.

Maggie was next and Jake pulled her into a warm hug. "Mom, I'm OK; I really am. I may live in Cait and Aaron's Jacuzzi tomorrow though." He pulled his mother tight. The group downstairs heard the commotion upstairs and headed up the steps.

"That ain't happenin' little brother," she smiled. "You know we decorate for Christmas the Friday after turkey day." Jake groaned in Maggie's arms.

Alex, with James standing next to her, looked at Dave. "They're that close with the age difference? Cait had to be in college when he was born."

"She was," he smiled. "But once Cait built the house, Jake as much as he loved the ranch and riding horses would spend his summers here with her to help her take care of the boys. Maggie and Jarrod happily let him come. He was a godsend to her. And that made them extremely close." The Blake's smiled as Jake pulled his dad into a hug followed by Aaron.

"Hey bro," Jake said to Aaron.

"Hi Jake; we love the surprise; we're really glad you could join us. Great game today," he beamed.

Jake looked at him. "I heard through the grapevine that the whole family was going to be here again. I'm off until next Wednesday. I had to be here Aaron." The brothers, forgetting the in-law part, shared another hug. Matt went into the kitchen and started digging out leftovers to make a plate of food for Jake.

Jake noticed Sean and Leslie. "Hey you two," he smiled, hugging them. "Is this the sprout?" Sean had Wyatt in his arms. Wyatt gave Jake the steely eye Hotchner glare. Jake roared and Wyatt laughed along. He held out his arms to Jake. Jake gently pulled him into the crook of his left arm as he greeted the rest, sharing a hug or handshake with everyone.

"Great game big dog," Derek smiled at him, offering a handshake.

"Thanks Derek; took some adjustments over halftime but the coaches got it right and the team responded."

Derek smiled at him. "That's what teams do with the right leadership." The message didn't go unnoticed by the BAU agents. Aaron smiled with pride as Cait rubbed his back.

Jake got to Garcia. "Ms. Penelope," he said with a sing song voice and large smile. "Give me some lovin' girl." Garcia wrapped her arms around his waist as he pulled her tightly to his chest with his right arm, still holding Wyatt. Wyatt, that close to the decked out BAU tech wizard, tried to grab one of her hair bobbles. Jake gently intercepted him. "Wyatt, you be good to our girl." Wyatt smiled at the two of them.

Cait introduced Jake to the Blake's and he warmly greeted them. Then the microwave dinged. Jake handed Wyatt to Cait. "I'm not kidding sis; I'm starving. I know how you and mom cook." Matt put the plate on the lunch counter, took Wyatt from his mom and Aaron went to the garage to get Jake a beer. Jake downed the beer in four gulps and then smiled at Maggie as she set a large glass of milk she poured for him in front of him. "Thanks mom," he smiled as he dove in.

In between bites, Jake looked around. "I'm missing three guys."

Cait smiled. "They're upstairs and engrossed in what they're doing; you eat. When you're finished we'll let them know."

"No arguments on that sis," Jake smiled, putting another mouthful in. Leslie pulled out the leftover doughboy and strawberry salads. Jake looked at Reid and Kevin. "You two couldn't leave me one bite of the orange Jell-O?"

"Nope," they said together, smiling. Jake gave them a one finger salute.

"That's what you get for working on Thanksgiving Jake," Reid said.

Jake smiled at the genius. "I'll give ya that one Doc."

Jack handed the last piece of the puzzle to Henry to put in. Henry smiled and placed it in the spot. They shared a high five as Aaron whistled up the steps. Jack looked at Henry. "Something big is going on." The boys burst out of the room and hammered down the steps. Mike wasn't far behind. Jack sped around the corner of the step bottom and raced into the center of the home. Dave was pouring a glass of scotch on the rocks for Jake with Cait adding some Bailey's when Jack noticed him. "UNCLE JAKE!" He flew to him and Jake lifted him into his arms.

"Hey buddy," Jake said, pulling him tightly into a hug. Jack threw his arms around Jake's neck. As close as Jake was with Matt and Mike, the bond that he now had with Jack was just as deep. They shared a quiet time for a couple of seconds, with Jake kissing him in Jack's hair above his ear. Cait and Aaron, arms around each other, beamed. So did the rest in the room. Mike wasn't far behind and Jake, with Jack still in one arm, pulled his other nephew into a tight hug. "Good god you guys; what are you folks feeding you?" The boys laughed and Jake put Jack on his feet.

"Uncle Jake; do you remember Henry?"

Jake warmly smiled, crouching down. "I sure do Jack." He looked at Henry. "I'm not RGIII, but do I at least get a handshake," he smiled at Henry. The young LaMontagne blew into him for a hug which Jake warmly returned. JJ and Will shared a smile, with Emily rubbing Garcia's back.

Jack looked at Cait, with a smile at Matt. "Do it bro," Matt smiled. Cait rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Jackster, if you don't, I will. That's why I flew here from Detroit. I want dessert."

Henry smiled at him. "You da man Uncle Jake." They shared a high five.

Cait looked at Wyatt in Matt's arms, rubbing his eyes. She smiled and shook her head. Three Hotchner boys and some other big boys looked at her. She pointed at her sister-in-law. Leslie smiled at Wyatt. "You my son have had a big day without your usual nap time. You need the three B's."

Jack looked at her. "Aunt Leslie?"

She smiled. "Bath, bottle and bed."

Cait rubbed Jack's head. "And until Aunt Leslie is back, dessert is on hold." The groans around the room didn't come from just the two little men.

"Aunt Leslie, can Henry and I help?" Leslie smiled and chased the boys up the steps in front of her carrying Wyatt. Maggie got Cait's "at Uncle Dave's cabin" coffee pot chugging.

Emily put her arm around Derek. "I love that sound."

"Me too Princess," he smiled, kissing her forehead. The memories of the team's time there were wonderful, which they shared with the rest that didn't know.

"So Little Creek holds a tradition as well," Alex asked.

Dave smiled. "Not a fun one for some people." Emily gave him the salute. They all roared as Alex looked at Cait.

"Emily tried to keep up with Dave and Derek one night in the scotch department," she smiled. Aaron laughed and Emily groaned. The laughter grew louder and the team regaled Alex about their time at Dave's cabin.

Jake hung an arm around his nephews in the room. "Sounds like good times guys," he smiled.

Mike smiled. "Uncle Jake, that's where mom made Jack and Henry into fish."

Jake beamed. "Been there; done that," he smiled, pointing to pool outside where Cait had taught him how to swim.

"Me too," the young genius said with a smile. JJ filled Alex and James in on that memory of Henry and Spencer learning to swim with Spencer fondly remembering his 30th birthday surprise. Alex rubbed his back.

Kevin recounted the card game they all played and the whole group laughed more. The memories poured out with the good times the team had shared.

Leslie came back down the steps with Wyatt in his pj's and the boys in front of her. They walked into the Great Room to a bunch of smiling faces that were ready for dessert.

Fran and Sandy just shook their heads and headed into the kitchen. The two of them were the dessert queens. Sandy pointed at Cait. "Hit it," she smiled.

Cait gave her whistle that would stop traffic as Leslie covered Wyatt's ears. "Here's the deal," Sandy smiled. "You have your choice of pumpkin pie, compliments of Fran with whipped cream; my blueberry pie with whipped cream or ice cream; and Cait's apple pie with ice cream." The two oldest Hotchner boys eyed her. Sandy and Fran laughed. "Yes, there is also Cait and Maggie's Crème de Menthe dessert." Cait, still in Aaron's arm, smiled at her husband.

###


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Maggie and Cait moved into the kitchen to help them as Leslie got Wyatt's bottle ready. Aaron was holding him, trying to keep him awake for his own dessert. Jarrod sat down next to Jake, working on his second plateful and Jack climbed up in his grandpa's lap. Fran smiled at them. "Same deal as usual?" she smiled. Will and Henry sat in the third chair as Jack nodded his head at Fran.

"Me and daddy too Fran," Henry said. She set the apple pie and ice cream in front of Jarrod and Jack that they would once again share. Fran moved to the blueberry pie and got the LaMontagne boys set up as well.

Cait manned the Cream de Menthe dessert as Maggie handed out the pumpkin pie. Aaron took the bottle from Leslie and fed Wyatt, walking around to keep him awake while he ate. The rest stood around, sat at the nook table or enjoyed the fireplace in the Great Room while enjoying their dessert. Matt and Mike, worked on their desserts as they got the dishwasher emptied for the next batch of dishes.

They looked around the Great Room as the dishwasher churned along for Round Two, with the dessert dishes in the load. Everyone was enjoying a drink, being either coffee, scotch, Bailey's or in Cait, Aaron, Maggie and Jarrod's case, a Tom and Jerry that Mike was waiting for the water to boil in the teapot on the stove. Matt was mixing up the rest of the ingredients for the delicious hot drink. Dave looked at him. "Matt, my boy, I'll have one of them as well." Matt added another mug to the four.

Fran smiled. "Make that six Matt." He smiled and added another mug. The drink had a very northern Midwest connection, mainly in Wisconsin. Maggie and Fran, being Chicago girls and that close to Wisconsin, had remembered them from their younger days. Cait had found a Wisconsin distributor online that would send her a case of the batter. Half of the case was already on its way to California, via FedEx.

Emily and Alex looked over the lunch counter. "The best hot drink invented," Jarrod smiled. Fran nodded her agreement. The ladies watched as Matt added some rum and brandy along with the golden batter mix to the mug for Fran. They looked at each other and shook their heads.

Matt smiled. "Now all I need is the hot water." The teapot whistled on the stove as Sean and Leslie took Wyatt upstairs. Mike grabbed six teaspoons from the drawer and the teapot, shutting the burner down. He poured in the hot water, handing Matt the spoons. Jarrod nearly moaned at the smell. Mike helped Matt mix up the mugs, getting the batter from its thick state of refrigeration to mix in with the alcohol and hot water, giving the drink its frothy concoction. Mike added a touch of nutmeg to the top of each of the mugs and handed one to Fran. She wrapped her hands around the warm mug after dealing with the gallon ice cream bucket.

Matt passed out the rest, the last to his mother. Aaron, taking a sip shook his head. "I might as well sleep on the couch tonight. You'll sleep on top of the bed half the night," he said to Cait.

She smiled. "But my feet will be toasty warm."

"Thank you for that." Everyone laughed. Aaron was a completely different person when he was at home. He wasn't at work Hotch and not afraid to share little details about he and his wife. Alex and Emily shared a smile.

Dave, after taking sip, looked at them. "Either of you want to try it," he asked, holding out his mug. Alex shook her head, but Emily took him up on his offer.

"Mmmmm, that is good. But I'll stick to scotch and Bailey's," she smiled. Alex took another sip of her usual coffee, laced with a bit of Baileys.

Sean and Leslie rejoined the group and Matt fixed them up with their drinks. Cait and Aaron were sitting in the usual place on the piano bench. Sean eyed them. "There's a plot hatching," he smiled. Aaron looked at him with a question. "The boys; the short versions," he smiled nodding towards the upstairs. Cait and Aaron had both heard them go upstairs but thought nothing of it.

"There was a lot of whispering in Jack's room when we walked by," Leslie smiled.

JJ looked at Cait. "Good grief, what can the two of them be up to?"

Jake, shoveling in a piece of blueberry pie with ice cream at the lunch counter smiled. "No good; trust me." He polished his plate off and moved to get one of the last pieces of the Cream de Menthe dessert.

Jarrod looked at him. "You've been there, done that." Everyone laughed.

Just then, the boys appeared at the cusp of the nook just off the foyer. Jack nudged Henry and they started to walk in. Henry stopped and looked at Jack. He whispered something in Jack's ear holding his hand over Jack's ear so no one could hear. Jack, doing the same, whispered something back and nudged Henry again.

Henry walked up to Jarrod. "Grandpa Jarrod," he smiled. Jarrod beamed that Henry called him that. He knew that Henry didn't have either of his grandfathers. He pulled him up on his lap. Jake rubbed Jack's head. "Jack told me somethin' about you; somethin' his mom told him."

Jarrod smiled at Jake and then the boy in his lap. "OK Henry, I'll bite; what did Jack tell you."

Henry balked, looking at his best bud. "Tell him Henry."

"Grandpa Jarrod, one of my all-time favorite DVD's," he said. Jake slightly laughed at the terminology that didn't work with his father. In his dad's world, they were still movies. "Ummmm," Henry continued, "well Grandpa Jarrod is _Jungle Book_." Jake beamed, knowing what was coming next. Maggie winked at Cait.

"Spit it out Henry," Jake smiled. Cait turned on the piano bench to face the keys as Aaron joined her, rubbing her back.

"Jack told me that his mom told him…" Henry looked deeply into his eyes. "You can sing _Bare Essentials_ like Baloo." Jake pointed at his dad.

"Henry, Grandpa Jarrod has Baloo down," he smiled. Henry looked with anticipation in Jarrod's eyes. Cait played some intro notes of the song on the piano with Aaron beaming.

"Please grandpa," Jack begged.

Derek wrapped an arm around his mother, as Jake looked at his dad. "You're toast; give it up."

Jarrod shook his head as the older boys wrapped their arms around their grandmother with the three of them smiling. "Hit it Cait," he smiled, rubbing Henry's head. Cait played a lively version of the song as an intro and Jarrod looked at Henry. "Now it's like this little britches," he smiled, lightly tapping Henry's knee. "All you have to do is…."

_Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife…._ he sang. Henry and Jack beamed. Jake pulled Jack up into his lap as well as Jarrod sang on. The team all looked at each other. They all knew that Maggie had a music background, which Cait had inherited. Maggie had starred in some musical productions at Harvard. They had no idea that Jarrod was a part of that as well.

As Jarrod finished, Matt and Mike winked at Maggie and walked up to the piano behind their parents. Cait and Aaron turned to look at them with a smile, as Mike put his arm around Matt. "Hakuna Matata; what a wonderful phrase," Mike said.

"Hakuna Matata; ain't no passin' craze," Matt added with a smile. Cait played a few notes and the older boys, in perfect harmony, sang the younger boys favorite song. Jack and Henry scrambled off laps to sit with Cait and Aaron as the older boys sang on with the younger ones joining them. Aaron pulled Jack into his lap as Matt, still singing, put Henry in Cait's.

_It's our worry free; philosophy…._

Mike, walking to the side of the piano, put his finger to his lips. _Hakuna Matata_ they all softly sang.

When they finished Penelope absolutely bubbled over with her spirit as only she could. "I don't what brought this on, but I love it!"

"You did Pumpkin," Jake said, pointing at her. Garcia looked at him. "Well you and the Big Dog," he pointed at Dave, "and your merry band of cohorts," he said waving his finger at Reid, JJ and Morgan. "You butchered a classic."

"Jake," Dave asked with question.

Jake smiled at him, pointing at Aaron. "Bro sent me the video; you five should be ashamed of yourselves to what you did to that song." Dave shot Aaron a dirty look.

"It's already viral Dave," Aaron said with a straight face. The older boys nodded their heads.

"I heard from one of my friends," Matt said. "The message; you call him _Uncle_ Dave?"

Mike looked at him. "You too bro?" Matt nodded his head. Sean and Leslie burst out laughing.

The rest of the group roared with laughter.

Cait played the opening strains of _Piano Man_. Jake rubbed Dave's shoulder. "Let me show you how it's supposed to be done old man." Jake was no slouch in the music department as well singing the song the way Billy Joel would have been proud of. He pulled out his always present harmonica from his pocket to play along with his sister on parts of the song.

Kevin looked over Penelope's shoulder as she tapped a message into her cell. _Take poll of team before this next yr. Buy sheet music for Cait._

Kevin smiled and kissed her cheek. When Jake finished, all three Hotchner boys begged their grandma to sing something. Henry joined in, with Reid wrapping his arm around Maggie's waist, whispering into her ear using the same method as the boys. He wanted no one else to hear. Maggie smiled at him. "Just for you Spencer," she whispered, rubbing his chest. Reid hugged her.

Cait already figured out the request and started playing the intro. Reid smiled.

As the strains of _The Sound of Music_ lightly went through the house with Maggie's beautiful voice, the warmth, laughter, friendship and most importantly love radiated out the windows of the home on Deer Valley Road into the crisp, cold Thanksgiving night.

###

**A/N: Sorry gang; I'm gonna bail again on the explanation of a Tom and Jerry. As I always say, Goggle it; do the search by keywords Tom and Jerry drink. Wiki has a great explanation, complete with a picture. Just know their explanation/recipe calls for rum. The brandy addition is purely a Wisconsin thing; trust me. You go to any other state in the US and order a mixed drink with brandy an experienced bartender will look you in the eye and ask: "you're from Wisconsin, aren't you?" Yup, I am.**

**And yes, we've come to another end. Since I just got done posting another story, I'm not going to repeat my usual end of story shout-outs. All of you very special people know who you are, how much I appreciate your support and how much I truly love you.**

***Knightly bow***


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